A Russian tourist was shot multiple times and his wife was injured when the couple was ambushed on the N4 near Bronkhorstspruit while travelling to the Kruger National Park.
The attack happened on 5 November, according to Gauteng police. The couple had been travelling to the world-famous wildlife destination for a holiday when they were attacked.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Mudau said the man sustained multiple gunshot wounds. His wife suffered an injury to her left eye.
“It was reported that the couple was travelling to Kruger National Park for vacation when they were attacked,” Mudau said.
Police have not released the couple’s names, nationality details beyond the man being Russian, or information about the circumstances that led to the shooting.
Mudau could not provide further details about how the attack unfolded.
No arrests have been made.
The Russian Embassy declined to comment on Monday morning.
Police have not confirmed vehicle spiking link
The shooting happened along a section of the N4 between Pretoria and Bronkhorstspruit that has been repeatedly linked to vehicle-spiking incidents.
Vehicle spiking involves criminals placing objects such as nail-studded wooden devices, rocks, clothing or other obstructions in the road. The aim is to force motorists to stop after damaging their tyres or believing that they have struck something.
Once drivers pull over or leave their vehicles, attackers may rob, assault or hijack them.
Police have not confirmed that the Russian couple was targeted through vehicle spiking. They have also not said whether the couple stopped after hitting an obstruction, whether another vehicle followed them or whether the attack was linked to an attempted robbery.
Those details will form part of the investigation.
The lack of information has left key questions unanswered, including where on the N4 the attack took place, how many attackers were involved and whether anything was taken from the couple.
N4 identified as vehicle-spiking hotspot
The stretch between Pretoria and Bronkhorstspruit has previously been identified as a road-spiking hotspot.
Safety groups told Rekord that sections of the N4 east of Pretoria, particularly around Donkerhoek and Mooiplaats, had historically been linked to attacks. They also identified the section between the Bronkhorstspruit and Balmoral off-ramps as a route where motorists should remain alert.
A June report followed an incident in which three women were allegedly robbed after encountering an obstruction on the road. The victims were reportedly left shaken after the attack.
Earlier in 2026, an alleged armed spiking suspect was shot and injured during a security operation on the N4 near Mooiplaats after rocks were reportedly used to target a motorist, according to Rekord.
The incident highlighted the danger of criminals using major routes to trap motorists who are travelling alone or at night.
The N4 is an important road linking Gauteng with Mpumalanga and the Lowveld. It is used by local residents, freight operators, domestic travellers and international tourists travelling towards the Kruger National Park.
How vehicle spiking attacks work
In 2024, the South African Police Service warned Gauteng motorists not to stop for suspicious obstructions after a series of vehicle-spiking incidents.
Motor Industry Staff Association media and communications manager Sonja Carstens said reports were being received several times a week at that stage. She identified the N1, N4 and R80 as among the routes commonly targeted by criminals.
The method can involve spikes hidden under plastic, fabric or clothing. A driver may hit the obstruction and experience a puncture or sudden tyre failure.
Some criminals use clothing or other objects to make it appear that a person is lying in the road. Motorists who stop to investigate may then be attacked.
Criminals have also changed their methods when motorists continue driving after their tyres are damaged. In some cases, attackers follow a vehicle until it can no longer continue and then approach the driver.
Carstens said victims could face robbery, kidnapping, extortion and sexual violence during some attacks.
Safety groups have advised motorists who hit a suspicious object to keep driving if the vehicle remains controllable and to head towards a police station, toll plaza, busy filling station or another populated location.
Drivers have also been urged to keep their doors locked, windows closed and to contact emergency services or a tracking company while moving to a safer place.
Motorists should not leave their vehicle on an isolated section of the road to inspect a tyre or remove an object unless remaining there presents a greater immediate danger.
Previous tourist attack near Kruger
The latest shooting has also revived concern about the safety of international visitors travelling to South Africa’s major tourism destinations.
In 2022, a German tourist was shot and killed while travelling with a group towards a community-owned safari lodge near the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga.
The group was held up on the Numbi Road while travelling to the Mdluli community-owned safari lodge. One of the four tourists was shot and killed during the attack.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment condemned the killing and warned that attacks on international visitors could damage the tourism sector.
The Numbi Road shooting and the latest N4 attack are separate incidents. There is no indication that they are connected.
They occurred in different provinces and on different routes. The earlier incident involved a German group travelling near the Kruger National Park, while the latest case involves a Russian couple travelling on the N4 near Bronkhorstspruit.
Both cases have nevertheless highlighted the vulnerability of tourists travelling by road to game reserves and safari lodges.
Tourism operators have repeatedly urged visitors to plan their routes, avoid isolated travel at night and use reputable transport and accommodation providers.
Investigation continues
Gauteng police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
At this stage, no motive has been announced and no suspect has been arrested.
Police have not confirmed whether the shooting was a hijacking, robbery, attempted murder or an attack linked to vehicle spiking. The available information only confirms that the couple was attacked while travelling to the Kruger National Park, that the man suffered multiple gunshot wounds and that his wife was injured in her left eye.
The man’s condition and the woman’s medical status have not been disclosed.
Police are expected to establish whether there were witnesses, CCTV footage, tracking data or other evidence that could identify the attackers.
The N4 passes through busy and heavily used areas, but long stretches are also isolated, particularly outside urban centres. That combination has made the route important to commuters and freight traffic while also creating opportunities for criminals who target motorists who stop unexpectedly.
The investigation will determine whether the couple was specifically targeted or became victims of a random roadside attack.
For now, the shooting has added to concerns about safety along a major route used by tourists travelling between Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
Police have not issued a new public warning specifically linked to the Russian couple’s case. Motorists travelling on the N4 are nevertheless being urged by safety groups to remain alert, avoid stopping at suspicious obstructions and seek help from a secure, populated location if they experience a tyre problem or roadside attack.