A brazen cash-in-transit (CIT) heist on the N2 freeway south of Durban on Tuesday morning resulted in one fatality, seven people suffering gunshot wounds, and four others being assaulted as the robbers attempted to escape.
According to reports, a group of armed suspects ambushed a cash-in-transit vehicle near NPC between the M7 and the M1 Higginson Highway. The suspects assaulted two security guards, robbed them of their firearms, and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
During the attack, multiple gunshots were fired, and three bystanders sustained gunshot wounds.
The chaos escalated as the suspects fled through the Bayview area. A private security officer, who gave chase, was shot and injured along Silverglen Drive. The suspects then allegedly attempted to hijack a passing minibus taxi, opening fire in the process. A woman inside the taxi was shot and killed, while another pedestrian in the area was wounded.
Emergency responders, including ALS Paramedics, arrived to find widespread devastation. ALS spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said that paramedics treated multiple casualties at different locations linked to the heist.
Watch: Dramatic Footage Shows CIT Truck Exploding in N2 Heist
Three security guards suffered injuries near the crash site, while three passengers aboard a bus traveling to work, approximately 500m away, were also shot. Two more people were found shot on Higginson Highway, bringing the total number of gunshot victims to seven.
Authorities confirmed that the CIT vehicle was forced off the road before the suspects detonated an explosive device, blowing it up. The incident led to the complete closure of the N2 freeway during peak morning traffic as SAPS launched a full-scale investigation.
Police are actively searching for the suspects, who remain at large. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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