Multiple bystanders struck in Durban cash-in-transit heist crossfire
THE Cash-In-Transit Association in South Africa (Citasa) has expressed concern regarding the safety of innocent bystanders and motorists at cash-in-transit (CIT) crime scenes, as seen in the N2 incident in Durban yesterday morning.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said provincial police are searching for an unknown number of suspects following a CIT robbery on the N2 southbound.“The suspects accosted a cash-in-transit vehicle, assaulted two security guards, and robbed them of their firearms before stealing an undisclosed amount of money. During the robbery, the suspects fired several shots and three bystanders were reportedly shot and injured,” Netshiunda said.“The suspects fled through the Bayview area and onto Silverglen Drive. They shot and injured a private security guard who gave chase. The suspects allegedly shot at a minibus taxi which they tried to hijack, shooting and killing a woman, who was walking along the road.”
Nethsuinda said one of the suspects who was seen fleeing from the crash-site was tracked to the Glenwood area. The suspect was shot and killed during a shoot-out with police.
“The identified vehicle was intercepted at an intersection in Glenwood and the suspects opened fire on the police.”
Nethsuinda said a vehicle that was hijacked in the KwaMakhutha area and used in yesterday’s robbery was found abandoned in Mariannhill, with what looked to be money bags inside.
He said police members followed up on information about the vehicles that fled the crime scene.
“A vehicle was intercepted at an intersection in Glenwood and the suspects opened fire towards the police.
“Police retaliated and during the shootout, one suspect was fatally wounded and another was rushed to hospital with various injuries.”
Netshuinda said another vehicle that was hijacked in the KwaMakhutha area and used in the robbery was found abandoned in Mariannhill, with what looked to be money bags inside.
“The crime scene is yet to be properly processed,” he said.
ALS Paramedics Medical Services spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said paramedics assessed the initial scene and found several injured people. A triage system was set up and more ambulances and advanced life support paramedics were sent to help with the multiple-casualty scene.
Among those treated at the scene were three paramedics for various injuries,” Jamieson said.
“On the same scene about 500m from the crash-site, three occupants on a bus travelling to work had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.“The next location from the same incident was on the M1 Higginson Highway near the N2 Bridge, where two people had sustained gunshot wounds. The third location occurred on Silverglen Drive in Chatsworth where paramedics found that multiple people had been shot. Two females believed to be in their 30s and a security officer had gunshot and assault wounds. “One female believed to be in her 30s had fatal gunshot wounds.”
Citasa incident and analytics manager, Dr Alice Maree, said CIT employees were trained for CIT robberies.
“What is of concern is the safety of innocent bystanders and motorists at CIT crime scenes. A total of three bystanders were killed, and 13 were injured in 2024,” Maree said.
Zooming in on 2024, Maree said more than 200 CIT robberies were recorded last year.
“KwaZulu-Natal was the highest risk province with 27% of the robberies in 2024, followed by Gauteng (25%), Eastern Cape (21%), Mpumalanga (8%), Western Cape and North West (6% respectively), Free State (5%), and Limpopo (2%),” Maree said.
She said CIT robberies in South Africa is a weekly occurrence, but sometimes a daily activity.
DAILY NEWS