The armed robbery took place outside De La Salle Holy Cross College in northern Johannesburg.

JOHANNESBURG - A parent has been shot and wounded outside De La Salle Holy Cross College in Victory Park on Thursday afternoon.

A witness at the scene says the man withdrew around R40,000 to pay employees before parking outside the school to fetch his child.

He was then confronted by a group of armed men.

"There was a lot of scuffling, a lot of fighting, a lot of shouting and a lot of swearing," the witness said.

"They [the suspects] jumped into the vehicle and pulled off at breakneck speed and nearly crashed into a police car that was coming up the wrong way [of the road]."

The parent was taken to hospital.

The private northern Johannesburg school is on lockdown.

Parents have been asked to collect their children from school as all extra-mural activities have been cancelled.