Mpumalanga Police
In the suburb of Tasbet Park, Witbank, a coordinated operation on Wednesday, 3 April 2024, led by Mpumalanga Police units in collaboration with private security officers, resulted in a fierce shootout that ended with five alleged cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers being fatally shot and eight others arrested. The confrontation marks a significant blow to criminal activities in the region, highlighting the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing.
The operation was set into motion following critical intelligence received by the police about the suspects’ intentions and movements. “The team received information that the suspects were driving to Mpumalanga… about an attempted CIT that had just occurred in Witbank,” explained Police Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo. Acting on this information, the authorities traced the suspects to a supposedly safe location in Tasbet Park.
As the police and private security personnel approached, the suspected robbers, attempting to disperse in a Toyota Quantum, fired upon the officers. This prompted a swift and decisive response, culminating in a shootout that led to five suspects being declared dead on the scene. “While approaching the house, the suspects… saw the police and started shooting. The police and private security officers retaliated,” Masondo detailed the tense moments leading to the confrontation.
In addition to the casualties, the operation saw eight suspects detained, although about nine others reportedly evaded capture. Authorities managed to recover a significant cache of weapons and vehicles, including five rifles (three AK 47s, one AR 15, and one R5), two pistols, and four vehicles linked to prior hijackings.
The extensive arsenal and the hijacked vehicles — a Mazda CX5 from Jeppe, an Audi Q5 from Yeoville, a Haval from Rabie Ridge, and another Mazda CX5 with a tampered engine number — point to a well-organised and heavily armed group. This seizure disrupts the operational capabilities of the gang, potentially averting future incidents.
Charges laid against the arrested suspects will include murder, attempted murder, and possession of prohibited and unlicensed firearms and ammunition, along with CIT-related offences, underscoring the severity of their alleged crimes.