On 20 April 2021, police officers from the Durban Central police station visited a shopping mall in their police precinct to view video footage that could assist them in an investigation that they were conducting. As they were viewing the footage, they were alerted to a cash-in-transit robbery that had taken place on the premises and they immediately responded.
It is alleged that at 15:30; the cash-in-transit guard was conveying a cash box to his vehicle when five men confronted him and forcefully removed the cash box from his possession. The police officers came to his assistance and managed to prevent the men from fleeing with the moneybox.
The suspects opened fire on the police officers and injured a 25-year-old Constable as well as the security guard as they fled empty handed.
Both the police officer and security guard were transported to a local hospital where they remain in a critical condition. Detectives from the Hawks are investigating the cash-in-transit robbery and a manhunt is underway to trace the perpetrators.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi applauded the police officers for immediately springing into action and preventing the robbers from fleeing with the cash.
“We are saddened to hear that a police officer and security guard were injured in this skirmish with the robbers and we wish them a speedy recovery. We will do everything that is within our control to bring the perpetrators to book,” said Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.
