A cash-in-transit heist turned deadly on Tuesday morning along Durban’s N2 highway, leaving one person dead and several others wounded in a brazen attack that brought traffic to a standstill.
The drama unfolded near the NPC cement factory, where suspects ambushed a cash van and detonated explosives to gain access to its contents. The violent explosion and subsequent gunfire forced authorities to shut down both sides of the freeway, which remained a crime scene well into the late morning.
Videos capturing the chaotic scene quickly spread across social media, showing the aftermath of the explosion and the ensuing panic. According to KZN police spokesperson Robert Nethsuinda, the suspects confronted the cash-in-transit vehicle, violently assaulting two security guards and stealing their firearms along with an undisclosed sum of money.
Nethsuinda confirmed that the suspects fired multiple shots during the robbery, injuring three bystanders caught in the crossfire. The criminals then fled through the Bayview area in Chatsworth, with police hot on their trail.
In their escape, the suspects shot and injured a private security guard on Silverglen Drive who attempted to pursue them. Their violent spree continued as they allegedly tried to hijack a minibus taxi, firing shots at it. A woman inside the taxi was fatally shot, while another woman walking nearby sustained injuries.
Authorities are still searching for the suspects, whose numbers remain unknown. Police have promised to release further information as the investigation progresses.
The community remains on edge following the brazen daylight attack, as law enforcement ramps up efforts to apprehend those responsible for the violence and loss of life.
