Man in his thirties critically wounded after shooting on Umbilo footbridge

A man in his thirties was left fighting for his life after being shot multiple times on a footbridge in Umbilo, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday evening.

What happened

The shooting occurred just before 6pm on Wednesday, 29 July 2026 on the footbridge between the M7 and Oliver Lee Drive in Umbilo. Emergency services were called to the scene after Homeland Security alerted paramedics.

Paramedic response and condition of the victim

ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said emergency personnel arrived to find a man believed to be in his thirties in a critical condition. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen and legs.

“Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the man believed to be in his thirties in a critical condition, with first aid being administered to him.”

Jamieson said Advanced Life Support Paramedics worked to stabilise the man before rushing him to a nearby hospital for urgent care.

“Advanced Life Support Paramedics took over the scene and worked to stabilise the man who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen and legs before rushing him off to a nearby hospital for the urgent care that he required,”

Investigation

Jamieson added that the events leading up to the shooting remain unknown and that the South African Police Service was in attendance and is investigating further.

Related police shooting in Roodepoort

The report also noted an unrelated incident earlier in the week: during the early hours of Tuesday, 28 July 2026, a shootout in Roodepoort left two suspected illegal miners dead after they allegedly opened fire on police during an intelligence-driven operation.

Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said: “The suspects allegedly opened fire on the police, resulting in a shootout. During the exchange of shots, two suspected illegal miners were fatally wounded.”

Sibeko said officers recovered several unlicensed firearms and ammunition during the operation and that no police officers or security personnel were injured.

What is known and what is not

• Known: time, location, victim profile (believed to be in his thirties), nature and location of wounds, paramedic actions, hospital transfer, SAPS investigation.
• Unknown: motive and the events leading up to the Umbilo shooting.

Reporting based on The Citizen.