UPDATE: Dumi spent the night fighting for his life in a Johannesburg hospital. Read more:

It has been confirmed  that Rhythm City actor Dumi Masilela died in a hijacking on Wednesday evening.

"It is true. We are not sure of the details at the moment but we understand that he was involved in a hijacking on Wednesday and died," Rhythm City publicist Joe Strydom told TshisaLIVE.

The actor, who played the role of Sifiso Ngema on the popular e.tv soapie, recently married former Muvhango actress Simphiwe Ngema.

When contacted for comment, a distraught Ngema refused to speak and put down the phone.

A car accident sidelined Masilela's professional soccer career several years ago. After more than three years of rehabilitation, he carved out a career in TV.