Actor Mortimer Williams wounded in Melville shooting: 'A bullet missed my left kidney'

Mortimer Williams is lucky to be alive after being wounded in a drive-by shooting at Poppy's restaurant in Melville, Johannesburg. 

The 'Skeem Saam' star was one of eight people shot shortly after ringing in the New Year this week. Two women died at the scene. 

Mortimer, who has also appeared in 'Erfsondes', 'Isidingo', and 'Scandal!', was performing at the restaurant on New Year's Eve. 

He told TshisaLIVE in an interview from his hospital bed that they had just done the countdown when he spotted a friend he had not wished 'Happy New Year' to. 

When he went outside to greet his friend, he heard what sounded like fire crackers going off. He soon realised the crackers were actually gunshots. 

"There were people dropping next to me. It was so chaotic," he told the publication. 

The actor told The Citizen in a separate interview about the victims: "They died right next to me." 

A bullet reportedly missed his left kidney by "a few millimetres" and went through his pelvis. 

Another star was also at Poppy's restaurant at the time of the shooting.

Media personality Ursula 'Brown Sugar' Chikane was enjoying the New Year's celebrations with her sister when the shots were fired.

"SOS. ANY DOCTORS TO MELVILLE ASAP, PLEASE!!! LIVE ROUNDS FIRED. SEVEN PEOPLE DOWN. @SAPoliceService not answering need doctors on site asap," she tweeted. 

Ursula also thought the gunshots were fireworks at first. 

"We were inside Poppy's grooving. An amazing night. Then, shots were fired into the spot. My head counted five rapids but there could've been two before I realised that the bangs were gunfire and not fireworks." 

The former 'Top Billing' presenter escaped the shooting unharmed.

"My sister and I are safe. Our friends had just just left but they're safe, too. Please pray for those who were hit and their families. By the time we left the scene, security companies were on site."

Shortly before the drama, Ursula shared a video of herself dancing the night away at the restaurant. 

No arrests have been made. 

Police are searching for the occupant/s of a black SUV that drove past the restaurant at the time of the shooting. 

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Main image courtesy of Instagram/@moritimerwilliams