On 6 March 2018, Gwala was attacked on his pushbike by three men during a training ride before sunrise around Durban. The men pulled him from the bike and cut the calf of his right leg with a saw, damaging his muscles, nerves, and bone, then attacked his left leg. The attack continued even though he offered the attackers his wallet, mobile phone, and bike. The men departed and Gwala crawled to the road where he flagged down a car and was taken to a local hospital. Gwala said that the men spoke in a language he did not understand. Doctors were confident that his legs could be saved.South African triathlete Mhlengi Gwala's legs attacked with blunt saw while cycling in Durban, AP/ABC News Online, 2018-03-08
