Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, spokesperson for the South African Police Service, confirmed Sunday that authorities have opened an attempted murder investigation after a gunman opened fire on a vehicle carrying Zimbabwean international footballer Divine Lunga in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. No arrests had been made at the time of her statement.
The shooting took place while Lunga, a 31-year-old defender, was traveling through the inner-city suburb with his younger brother. South African media reports indicate the two were en route to church when the gunman fired multiple shots at their vehicle. Police say the attacker appears to have acted under the mistaken belief that Lunga was an undercover police officer. Lunga escaped without injury.
Sibeko did not elaborate on additional investigative details or provide a timeline for potential leads. The case now sits with law enforcement as investigators work to establish whether the shooting was random or targeted, and whether it connects to broader patterns of violence in the Hillbrow area, a suburb with documented crime challenges.
What the police have not yet disclosed is whether the mistaken-identity motive points to a specific threat or a more opportunistic act. That question will likely shape the direction of the investigation.
Meanwhile, neither Mamelodi Sundowns nor Zimbabwe’s national team released formal statements regarding the attack. Zimbabwe’s national team did post a photograph of Lunga on social media showing him in a prayer position, captioned “In God we trust” alongside his name, an acknowledgment of the incident that stopped short of an official response from either governing body.
The absence of formal institutional statements is notable given Lunga’s profile. He has earned 21 caps for Zimbabwe’s national team, the Warriors, and was included in the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign. At club level, he joined South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns in 2021. During his tenure, the club secured four domestic league titles and captured their second African Champions League trophy in May of this year.
The shooting reflects a persistent governance challenge for South African authorities. The country ranks among the world’s highest in murder rates, and firearm violence continues to affect residents across economic and social sectors. Hillbrow, in particular, has long tested the capacity of law enforcement to maintain order in a densely populated urban environment.
Lunga’s survival means Sundowns retain their defender for upcoming fixtures. Whether police can identify and charge the gunman before the investigation stalls remains the more pressing open question.