Cabinet supports police for stopping cash-in-transit suspects in Rosettenville

Some of the weapons used by members of the gang that was involved in a deadly shootout with police in Rosettenville. PHOTO: SUPPLIED-IPID

Some of the weapons used by members of the gang that was involved in a deadly shootout with police in Rosettenville. PHOTO: SUPPLIED-IPID

Published Feb 24, 2022

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Cape Town - Cabinet has come out in support of the police for stopping a gang of heavily-armed cash-in-transit suspects which resulted in a gun battle in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg, where eight alleged robbers were shot dead by the police and 10 others arrested.

The police had foiled the robbery when the gun battle happened in Rosettenville and Police Minister Bheki Cele later visited the scene.

He also commended the work of the police with the specialised units in stopping the gang.

Cele had said the gang was armed with high calibre weapons when they started shooting at the police and were also driving high performance vehicles.

“Cabinet commended the multidisciplinary team of law-enforcement agencies led by the South African Police Service and the Crime Intelligence Unit that intercepted a gang of heavily armed suspects in Rosettenville, Johannesburg on Monday, February 21, 2022. The gang was suspected of planning to commit a cash-in-transit robbery,” said Cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams.

“Ten suspects were arrested and eight were fatally shot following a shootout with the police. The suspects were found in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, explosives and hijacked vehicles. An investigation is under way to establish the origins of the weapons,” she said.

It urged members of the community to continue working with the police in stopping crime.

Cash-in-transit heists have been on the increase in recent years, with security firms invested heavily in combating it, and police beefing up their units to deal with the gangs involved.

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