A 63-year-old Chinese clothing factory owner and his factory manager were forced off the road, before being shot at and robbed outside Ballito on Tuesday morning.

Xiuchen Li and manager Shiran Rathnayck were travelling from Pietermaritzburg to Isithebe in Mandeni.

While driving on the P445 opposite The Beaches Primary School they were confronted by an unknown number of armed robbers.

“We were en route to Isithebe to pick up some of my belongings as I stayed there, and planned to return today. As we drove past Ballito, a car pulled up beside us, blocking our path, and shot my boss,” said Rathnayck.

The attackers then grabbed their mobile phones and money. He could not remember how many assailants there were.

“We thought they might want the car, but that seemingly was not the case. I believe they had been following us for some time,” said Rathnayck.

Samantha Mayrick of IPSS Medical Rescue said Li was found in a critical condition and was stabilised by paramedics before being transported to hospital.

Police were still collecting evidence at the scene at the time of going to print.

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