South African cops among gang of Zimbabwean suspects on the run after botched heist

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Durban – Two police officers are believed to be part of a gang on the run from SAPS following Monday’s deadly shoot-out in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg.

It is alleged that at least 25 heavily armed men were on their way to carry out a cash-in-transit heist when they were intercepted by police.

Several police and law enforcement officials attended to the scene.

So far, nine suspects have been killed while 10 more have been arrested. They include nationals from Botswana and Zimbabwe and four men from KwaZulu-Natal.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesperson, Grace Langa, said police are on the hunt for more suspects.

So far, Ipid has confirmed that five police officers have been seriously wounded however, there are claims that one officer has died. Langa declined to confirm this, adding that it was still speculation at this stage.

Speaking to eNCA, Langa said the suspects appeared to be well trained.

“These people, it looks like they are a group of people who are experienced. Even the manner in which they were shooting at police, it looks like they were well trained,” she said.

Langa added that one of the suspects arrested, a man from Botswana, is allegedly behind a number of cash-in-transit attacks across the country.

She said Ipid has collected the firearms and names of officers involved in the incident.

She said some of the officers were not ready to be interviewed as they were traumatised.

“About 15 officers from different units were involved in the shoot-out with criminals and we could not interview them because mostly are still traumatised by what happened,” she said.

Langa explained that due to the shoot-out between police and the gang, they are mandated to take over the investigation, Ipid has now taken over the investigation.

IOL