Rugby: Late Springboks legend Joost van der Westhuizen's brother shoots two robbers dead in church

Joost's Brother Pieter van der Westhuizen during the Memorial service of Joost van der Westhuizen (pictured in action against the All Blacks) in 2017. Photos / Brett Phibbs/Getty

The brother of the late, great Joost van der Westhuizen has shot dead two robbers in a church in South Africa, according to reports.

Afrikaans news site Netwerk24 report a gang of three men entered the Querencia ministries in Centurion, Tshwane; demanding money and putting a gun to the head of pastor, Kobus Erasmus.

Pieter Van der Westhuizen, a former police officer, confronted the men, fatally shooting two. A third man fled the scene.

According to the report, legal representation for Van der Westhuizen said that his client had acted in self-defence. Ulrich Roux told Netwerk24: "My client was absolutely acting in self-defence, not only for himself, but also for the other congregants and the pastor."

Images of the scene are circulating on social media, showing Van der Westhuizen with a pistol and two fatally injured men.

A Springbok legend, Joost van der Westhuizen played over a 100 times for the South Africa, 89 of which were capped. He passed after from motor neuron disease in 2017, aged 45.