Four suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers were fatally wounded during a shootout with Gauteng police and other law enforcement officers in Bronkhorstspruit on Friday, 7 November, at around 17:30. Another suspect was arrested at the scene.
Police recovered three firearms, including two rifles, along with loaded magazines and a Mercedes-Benz that had reportedly been hijacked in Ekangala, Tshwane.
POLICE FOIL PLANNED CIT HEIST
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said that officers from Crime Intelligence in Pretoria received information about suspects planning a CIT robbery in the Bronkhorstspruit area.
A joint team of law enforcement officials acted on the intelligence and began monitoring the suspects.
“While on observation, the team spotted a white Fiat on the R25 towards Bronkhorstspruit. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the suspects opened fire, resulting in a shootout. Three suspects were fatally wounded. A pistol and a rifle were recovered at the scene,” said Masondo.
A second vehicle linked to the suspects, a white Toyota Corolla, was later spotted in the Welbekend area.
“Police attempted to stop the vehicle and another shootout ensued. One suspect was fatally shot, while another fled on foot. An AK-47 rifle with two magazines was recovered,” Masondo added.
Further investigations led officers to a suspected safe house in Dennilton, Limpopo, where explosives and the hijacked Mercedes-Benz were recovered. One suspect was arrested.
CIT robberies remain a persistent challenge in South Africa, with 238 incidents recorded by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the 2022/2023 financial year, a 64% increase over the past decade.
Between January and October 2023, the number of CIT heists rose to 249, marking a 30% year-on-year increase, with Gauteng accounting for roughly a third of all cases, followed by the Eastern Cape. Although the last quarter of 2023 saw a slight decrease — from 57 to 46 incidents — authorities remain concerned about the organised nature of these crimes, which often involve heavily armed gangs, hijacked vehicles, and explosives. The ongoing surge underscores the need for intensified intelligence-driven operations, especially in hotspots such as Gauteng.
POLICE ON HIGH ALERT FOR FESTIVE SEASON
Gauteng police have heightened their operations as part of the province’s Safer Festive Season campaign, which targets violent crimes such as CIT robberies, hijackings, and business robberies that typically spike during the holiday period.
Acting Gauteng Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana praised the officers for their swift and coordinated response.
“I commend the officers involved in this operation for their bravery and professionalism. We will continue to work tirelessly to prevent and combat crime in Gauteng,” Kekana said.
The province has been grappling with a surge in cash-in-transit heists in recent years, prompting the police to intensify intelligence-driven operations to dismantle organised criminal networks behind such attacks.
