An 18-year-old Zimbabwean illegal immigrant escaped death by a whisker after he was allegedly shot and seriously injured by a member of the SANDF in an area along the Limpopo River, police said.

Police spokesman for Limpopo Province Superintendent Ailwei Mushavhanamadi said the incident occurred on Thursday last week at around 06:00.

The victim, Adrian Mpofu, was shot in the leg and sustained severe injuries.

The victim was in the company of two other Zimbabweans, who had illegally crossed into the country through an undesignated entry point along the crocodile-infested Limpopo River. "On spotting the soldiers who were patrolling the border area, the illegal immigrants allegedly started provoking them by shooting at them (soldiers) using catapults. The members of the SANDF then ordered the three Zimbabweans to stop, but they took to their heels, resulting in one the soldiers’ opening fire. He shot the victim in the left leg and he fell down," Mushavhanamadi said.

The other two illegal immigrants managed to escape, leaving their colleague behind, writhing in agony.

Mpofu was subsequently taken to Musina Hospital for admittance.

Mushavhanamadi said a suspect has since been arrested and an attempted murder case was opened. "We recorded a statement from the soldier in connection with the incident and we have since opened an attempted murder case against the suspect. We took the docket to the Department of Public Prosecution in Musina for scrutiny before they eventually come up with a decision on whether to charge him or not," said the police spokesman.

Such incidents involving illegal immigrants’ being shot along the Limpopo River have of late become a common phenomenon. In October last year, another Zimbabwean illegal foreigner was shot and seriously injured by an unknown suspect near the border area between Zimbabwe and South Africa while waiting for transport to ferry him to Johannesburg.