Pretoria - "I have murder and hate in my heart," says the mother of a 21-year-old who was shot dead by two robbers whom he tried to tackle as they smashed their way into his room.

Marieta Malan of Lynnwood Ridge, east of Pretoria, wept as she described the death of her son, Bennie, who was shot by the two robbers.

Bennie, son of director Jacques Malan of the police logistics division at Silverton, died from single shot to the chest when he tried to rugby-tackle the two men at his bedroom window.

He collapsed in a flowerbed outside the window.

Fell into flowerbed

Marieta said Bennie was working on his laptop about 01:30 on Saturday. He went to the toilet and they all heard a loud noise from his room.

"When he got back to his room, two men were breaking the glass with a monkey wrench. They used two garden chairs to complete the job. z

"I think when Bennie saw them he tried to tackle them, and they shot him. He fell into the flowerbed."

Jacques was working in the study when he heard the noise, followed by two shots.

His firearm was in the safe, so he grabbed his walking stick and ran to his son's room.

"The men were still standing at the window. I took the 'kerrie' and lashed out at them and they ran off."

He jumped through the window and found his son.

"When I got his shirt off there was only a tiny hole in his chest. Seconds later, he began to bleed through his nose and his mouth," said Jacques.

Marieta said Bennie's slippers were lying near him.

"He was lying in his own blood. I shouted that we should get him out of the blood, but he was too heavy for us."

"We managed to roll him into a blanket and tried to carry him to the car. Luckily, our neighbour and two Chubb security guards helped us.

No reply from cop emergency number

"When we got to the hospital, it was too late," she said through her tears.

Marieta said she phoned the police emergency number, but there was no reply.

She then pressed the panic button and phoned her neighbour.

The Malans said nothing had been stolen.