A 59-year-old man suspected of involvement in a drug deal was shot and wounded during a high-speed pursuit in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon, according to Western Cape police.

"This office can confirm that the circumstances surrounding an incident earlier today on the N1 in Kraaifontein are being investigated, after a 59-year-old man suspected to be a drug dealer was shot and wounded during a high-speed pursuit," Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut told News24.

"No further information can be released at this stage and further enquiries can be directed at IPID (the Independent Police Investigative Directorate)."

IPID spokesperson Moses Dlamini confirmed that the police watchdog was probing the incident.

"It is alleged that the pursuit was related to drug dealing," he said.

Traut told TimesLive that the man allegedly "fled in his VW Polo when he became aware of police presence".

"Following a high-speed pursuit in the opposite direction on the N1 freeway, the suspect was arrested on a charge of attempted murder," Traut told the publication.