A husband and wife were wounded in a botched hijacking in Empangeni, paramedics said on Monday.

Joseph Kruger, spokesperson for Mounties Ambulance Service, said the couple and their three children were returning home from church on Sunday night when the incident took place.

Police officers, who attended the scene, said the family had just pulled into their Watsonia Road driveway at 8pm when they were accosted by an armed gang.

"The driver was shocked and mistakenly drove into the gate and that's when the gunmen opened fire," a policeman said, not wanting to be named.

Kruger said the husband was shot in the hand while his wife was shot in the face.

The hijackers then fled without the car.

"The three children, who were in the back seat, were unharmed but in shock," Kruger said.

The couple were taken to a local hospital were they were stabilised.

Sapa