One of South Africa's most senior police officers has survived an attempted assassination in Johannesburg, police say.

Suspended deputy crime intelligence boss Maj-Gen Feroz Khan was shot on Sunday evening as he was driving home and has since been rushed to hospital for emergency surgery, local media say.

The shooting comes just days before Khan was due to testify at a public inquiry set up to investigate criminality in South Africa's police force.

Khan, alongside two other people, was arrested in May for alleged illegal gold dealing. He has not commented.

South African police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said in a statement released on Monday that police were investigating Khan's shooting.

"It is premature and irresponsible to speculate on any possible motive or to conclude that the incident is linked to his anticipated appearance before the [inquiry]," she said.

The inquiry, known as the Madlanga commission, was set up after senior police officer Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged last July that organised crime groups had infiltrated the government.

Khan was called to testify at the inquiry after his name came up several times, including in relation to a botched drug bust that took place in Johannesburg in 2021.

Local online publication Daily Maverick says Khan was expected to be questioned on his alleged ties to firebrand politician Julius Malema and political fixer Brown Mogotsi. 

Khan has not commented.

Earlier this month, Khan asked the Johannesburg high court to block the inquiry from accessing electronic devices seized from him when he was arrested. He also wanted his testimony heard behind closed doors but later abandoned both bids.

This is the second time a witness linked to the Madlanga commission has come under attack. In December, a witness was killed in front of his family just three weeks after he gave testimony at the inquiry.

Khan, another senior police officer and a businessman were arrested last month for alleged illegal dealing in, and unlawful possession of, precious metals.

This stems from a 2021 incident when the businessman was found with unwrought gold weighing 75.9g (2.7 oz) at Johannesburg's OR Tambo international airport. 

When questioned, the businessman claimed he was acting as an undercover agent for senior police officers.

Investigators later found that "no authorised undercover operation involving precious metals existed at the time" but that Khan, and another officer had "instructed officers" to release the businessman, prosecutors said in May.

He has not yet commented on the allegations but had been freed on bail.