A well-known witchdoctor is on the run for his life after community members tried to kill him on suspicion that he was practicing witchcraft.

A 53-year-old Tsietsi Leeuw from Mangaung, South Africa fled after neighbours found him performing ancestral rituals at 2 a.m on Friday.

According to Daily Sun, Tsietsi was caught making a huge fire and praying while his neighbours were asleep and later escaped after being threatened to be killed in mob justice.

“I am afraid that I might be killed for being a witchdoctor. I was only trying to please my ancestors,” Tsietsi told Daily Sun.

He continued, “I was performing a ritual on Friday morning with some of my patients. I do it every year. Then out of nowhere, a neighbour peeped through a window and alerted the community. In minutes I was surrounded by residents who accused me of evil deeds.

“They wanted to necklace me for doing what my ancestors want me to do. I took my stuff and ran away. Now I am living in fear that they might look for me and finish me off.

Reports say this is not the first time such stories have been put against him as last year he was also accused of practicing witchcraft after being caught sprinkling holy water in the streets at night.