Three guards injured in Brakpan cash-in-transit heist

Three guards were injured during a cash-in-transit heist in Brakpan on Friday morning.

According to the Brakpan Herald, the cash-in-transit van was travelling along Van Dyk Road near the Brakpan Benoni Airfield, when it was struck by a beige Mercedes-Benz.

It is believed around nine men were involved in the heist that saw the van bombed with explosives.

Police investigations continue.

Last month, Gauteng police arrested a most wanted cash-in-transit robbery and murder suspect in Tembisa.

The suspect, listed as one of the top five most wanted suspects in Gauteng, is among 1,170 people arrested by the police in Gauteng.

He was initially arrested in 2017 for murder and a cash-in-transit robbery in Pretoria but absconded from his trial. A warrant of his arrest was issued and a police CIT task team and tactical response team traced and arrested him again, said Captain Mavela Masondo.

READ MORE: Gauteng police arrest most wanted cash-in-transit suspect

In another incident, Bhekani Dladla, 30, was sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional 47 years for a May 2018 cash-in-transit robbery and murder.

Dladla, a Dube hostel resident, was sentenced by the Palm Ridge High Court  for the armed robbery and murder of a Fidelity cash solution security personnel who had just collected R30,000 from a butchery in Johannesburg.

Dladla was assisted by Lalela Cwabaza, 37, before fleeing in a white Opel Astra.

“Cwabaza was shot and killed with an accomplice during a shoot-out with the police when six heavily armed men robbed Edenvale High School in February 2019.  During the incident, four suspects were also arrested,” said Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu.

“The Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit arrested Dladla in February 2019. He was positively linked to the crime scene through CCTV. During his court appearance, the investigation team successfully opposed his bail and he was remanded in custody until sentencing.”

He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for armed robbery, 15 for possession of an unlicensed firearm and 10 years for illegal possession of ammunition.

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde