Divine Lunga survives Johannesburg shooting incident as police investigate attempted murder
A tense night in central Johannesburg has left South African football circles shaken after Mamelodi Sundowns defender Divine Lunga reportedly survived a shooting incident that has now triggered an attempted murder investigation.
According to a report by Kaya FM, the incident unfolded on Tudhope Street, where Lunga was travelling in a blue BMW with friends when they were allegedly approached by an unidentified man under highly unusual circumstances.
Police say the man is believed to have mistaken Lunga and his companions for undercover traffic officers. He allegedly told them that occupants of a vehicle ahead had robbed him of R34,000 and sought assistance in tracking them down.
In what initially appeared to be an attempt to help resolve a suspected crime, Lunga and his friends reportedly agreed to follow the vehicle in question.
What happened next escalated rapidly.
During the pursuit, one of the occupants of the targeted vehicle allegedly opened fire on Lunga’s BMW, discharging several shots into the night traffic of Johannesburg’s inner city. One bullet struck the vehicle, leaving a visible hole in the bodywork.
Despite the violence of the attack, no injuries were reported among those inside the car.
The incident has since been confirmed as the subject of a formal investigation. Hillbrow police have opened a case of attempted murder, and detectives are working to piece together the sequence of events that led to the shooting. No arrests have been made at this stage.
The episode adds another grim layer to concerns about violent crime in Johannesburg’s inner city, where mistaken identity, armed confrontations and opportunistic attacks continue to pose serious risks.
For Lunga, a defender for Mamelodi Sundowns, the incident is understood to have ended without physical harm, though the psychological impact of such a close call is likely to linger.
As investigations continue, authorities have not yet confirmed whether the initial report of robbery was genuine or part of a wider unfolding criminal sequence.
What is clear is that a routine drive through the city turned into a life-threatening encounter in seconds, leaving behind a damaged vehicle, unanswered questions and a police docket marked attempted murder.
