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BREAKING: Bloody CIT gun battle at Hlabisa leaves nine dead
The cash-in-transit heist occurred last night (Friday)
TWO policemen and seven cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers were killed in a gun battle during an attempted CIT robbery last night (Friday) near Hlabisa.
One other woman was shot in the leg and is being treated in hospital.
Members of the South African Police Service’s Special Task Force (STF) and Crime Intelligence (CI) were following up on intelligence that a CIT vehicle was going to be attacked.
At about 7pm a group of heavily armed suspects attacked the security vehicle and used explosives to access the cash along the Hlabisa road.
However, members from the SAPS teams, the STF and CI responded speedily which resulted in a shootout between them and the robbers.
Seven suspects, a member from CI and the STF member were killed during the skirmish.
A female member who was shot in the leg is currently receiving medical treatment.
Four AK-47 assault rifles have been recovered thus far.
A BMW which was used by the suspects was reportedly used during other robberies including one recently at a Nongoma Shell garage robbery.
The National Commissioner, General Khehla John Sithole has conveyed his deepest condolences to families of the fallen police officers and wished the wounded member a speedy recovery.
‘This is yet another sad day for both the South African Police Service as well as South Africa at large, for every time the life of a police officer is lost in combat the nation mourns’, said General Khehla Sithole.
‘I offer my highest praise to all our colleagues who have once again put their lives on the line to bring hardened and selfish criminals to book’, he added.
This is an ongoing story that will have coverage in the ZO Weekend edition.
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