- Two men were shot dead and a woman critically injured when gunmen ambushed their vehicle on the Nyongane main road near Hazyview.
- Police say the attackers lay in wait before opening fire twice, including at close range, while a two-year-old child escaped unharmed.
- A 72-hour activation plan has been implemented as police appeal to the public for information to track down the suspects.
Police in Mpumalanga have launched a massive manhunt following a horrific shooting incident that claimed two lives and left a woman in critical condition on Monday, 30 December 2025.
The attack occurred at approximately 5.30pm along the Nyongane main road near Hazyview, where a vehicle carrying four people, including a two-year-old child, was targeted in a violent ambush.
According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, preliminary investigations indicate that the victims were travelling towards Nyongane when an unknown number of suspects, who had been lying in wait in nearby bushes, opened fire on their vehicle.
Ndubane said that despite the initial hail of bullets, the driver managed to continue driving for about 200 metres before colliding with the rear of another vehicle and coming to a halt.
Attack continues at close range
The horror escalated as the suspects approached the stationary vehicle on foot. “At close range, the assailants opened fire again, fatally wounding the driver and a male passenger. A woman, believed to be the driver’s wife, sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition,” said Ndubane.
Miraculously, the two-year-old child who was also in the vehicle escaped the ordeal physically unharmed. In response to the brutality of the Mpumalanga shooting ambush, police have implemented a 72-hour activation plan, mobilising all relevant role players to track down the killers.
Mpumalanga Acting Police Commissioner Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi strongly condemned the attack. “We cannot live in a society where people open fire and kill others in broad daylight, while also endangering the life of an innocent minor,” said Mkhwanazi.
Police are appealing to anyone with information that could assist in the arrest of those responsible to contact Captain Eddie Rapagadi on 082 449 0231. Alternatively, information can be shared via Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or through the MySAPS App.
All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality, and callers may remain anonymous.
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