Thugs robbed a South African man then forced him to strip naked before almost entirely chopping off his penis in a brutal attack that took place in broad daylight.

The unidentified victim was covered in his own blood when he stumbled into a group of people while calling out for help in the South African city of Durban on Tuesday, 9th November, according to local media outlet The South African.

Prem Balram, the Reaction Unit SA (RUSA) spokesperson, said: “Members were called out to Mslasini in Everest Heights, on Tuesday afternoon after a naked man was found by residents bleeding profusely from his penis.”

The victim was bleeding both from his head due to blunt force trauma and from his penis, which had been partially cut off, reports the news site News365.

Balram added that the officers arrived at the scene around 5.52 pm and were told that the man rushed over to a crowd of people near a shop in complete shock.

The bystanders quickly clothed and helped the man and tried to calm him down while they waited for the emergency services to arrive.

He received treatment on the scene before being taken to a hospital, but further information on his current health status was not reported.

The police spoke to the victim and he told them that three men attacked him and took his shoes before beating him and severing his penis.

The suspects then fled the scene.

The police launched an investigation, but so far, no suspects have been named.