WATCH: Motorists warned to avoid N4 near Watermeyer following CIT heist

Motorists have been warned to avoid the N4 near Watermeyer in Pretoria following an alleged cash-in-transit (CIT) heist on Thursday evening.

According to Pretoria Rekord, the CIT heist is believed to have taken place just before 9Pm, with residents claiming to have heard an explosion, followed by gunshots in the area.

According to the GTP Gauteng Traffic Police on social media, the N4 has since been closed in both directions.

Suspects reportedly got away in an Audi and VW Polo.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said last month that the country was “under attack” by the CIT heists that keep going up in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

“We don’t have too many groups that are dealing with this matter,” he said.

Cele was addressing the media following the arrest of eight suspects who were involved in a shootout with the police in a foiled CIT heist in Rosettenville.

According to Cele, about 25 suspects were involved in the shootout after being cornered by police officers in their safe house in Rosettenville.

“Surprisingly, without fail, except one who comes from Botswana, they all come from Zimbabwe and KwaZulu-Natal. Four of them are from KwaZulu-Natal, the rest are from Zimbabwe and one from Botswana. They’re well armed and have AK47s, which means they [mean] business. We are working with heartless people that are prepared to kill,” said Cele at the time.

On Wednesday, the Pietermaritzburg High Court sentenced eight men to three life sentences and a total of 120 years in prison for cash-in-transit (CIT)-related crimes. 

According to Warrant Officer Bonnie Nxumalo, on 1 September 2017, a team of Port Shepstone-based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Special Task Force and Crime Intelligence Gathering received intelligence about a group of men who were going to attack a cash van that was travelling from Kokstad to Harding. 

The officers acted on the information and spotted three vehicles on the N2 highway near Stafford Post.

“The police instructed the vehicles to stop but the occupants fired shots at the police. Police returned fire, fatally wounding three men and injuring one. Five assault rifles, two pistols and explosives were recovered,” said Nxumalo.

Eight men were arrested at the scene and were charged with conspiracy to commit a CIT heist, murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of explosives as well as hijacking of two vehicles.