Zimbabwe Star Divine Lunga Escapes Gun Attack in Johannesburg

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:53:59 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Zimbabwean footballer Divine Lunga survived a shooting incident in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, despite being targeted by an unknown gunman on Sunday.

Zimbabwean international Divine Lunga was attacked with gunfire while driving in Johannesburg's Hillbrow suburb yet emerged physically unscathed. The incident, reported to involve a mistaken identity as a police officer, left the dedicated defender unharmed. While South Africa’s high crime rates have raised concerns, police confirmed they are conducting an investigation and have yet to arrest any suspects. Lunga, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns and the Zimbabwe national team, has been a revered figure on both domestic and African competitions.

Zimbabwean football star Divine Lunga survived a gun attack in Johannesburg, South African police have confirmed.

The 31‑year‑old defender was driving through the inner‑city suburb of Hillbrow on Sunday when his car was fired upon by an unknown gunman. According to local reports, Lunga — who plays for Zimbabwe’s national team and South African club Mamelodi Sundowns — escaped the assault unharmed.

Crime remains a grave issue in South Africa, a country that ranks high in worldwide murder statistics. Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said the case is being treated as an attempted murder investigation to date, although no arrests have been made.

The Citizen cited that Lunga was en route to church with his younger brother when the driver’s seat was mistakenly identified as that of an undercover cop and shot at. The attacker apparently mistook the 31‑year‑old for an undercover officer.

Lunga has earned 21 caps for Zimbabwe and was part of the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He joined Mamelodi Sundowns in 2021, contributing to four domestic league titles and a Champions League triumph earlier in the year.

Neither the national team nor the club has issued a public response, though the Warriors’ social media posted a photo of Lunga in a prayer pose with the caption “In God we trust.”