A man wanted in connection with cash-in-transit (CIT) crimes was fatally shot during a confrontation with police in Maphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday.
Maphumulo shooting: Here’s what happened
The shootout occurred when police, acting on intelligence, approached a safehouse in northern KZN believed to be harbouring suspects linked to planned CIT robberies.
Cash-in-transit crimes involve armed criminals targeting vehicles transporting large sums of money, usually between banks and businesses.
These heists are often carried out with military-style precision and involve weapons, explosives, and stolen cars. Because of the violence and planning involved, police units tackling these crimes often work with intelligence sources and the private security industry.
According to police sources, the officers involved had just returned from Gauteng, where they had been conducting a week-long operation focused on CIT investigations.
Shortly after their return on Sunday afternoon, they received new intelligence pointing to suspects in Maphumulo.
The following night, the team located two suspects at a house. When the officers attempted to approach, they were allegedly met with heavy gunfire. During the exchange, one officer was shot and another suffered back injuries.
Emergency paramedics arrived at the scene and transported both officers to a hospital for medical treatment.
One of the suspects was killed in the shootout. The second man was reportedly arrested, and police are still searching for another suspect believed to be part of the same group.
Authorities recovered weapons, explosives, and stolen vehicles from the scene. These items are often used in CIT heists. The presence of such materials, police said, indicates the suspects may have been preparing for an imminent robbery.
A senior police source involved in the operation stated:
“This was an intelligence-driven operation. The level of resistance we encountered tells us the suspects were heavily armed and ready.”
The operation was carried out with support from private security partners, who have become key collaborators in fighting organised crimes like CIT robberies.
More details are expected as investigations continue.
