Cape Town - Police are currently on scene at the ESC Building on Voortrekker Road in Bellville, where a gunman has locked himself inside the administrative section of the Capitec Bank.
Traffic in and around Voortrekker Road has been diverted. PICTURE: Shanice Naidoo
According to police, the gun-toting man entered the branch shortly before 2pm on Wednesday, in what is suspected to have been an attempted robbery.
It was initially believed that the man had taken two people inside the bank hostage, but according to Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut, this is not a hostage situation.
"The man is on his own in the bank. It is not a hostage situation. We will now negotiate with him to come out," said Traut, who added that the man is believes to be a client of the bank.
Five policemen are being briefed by a cop in plain clothes next to the @CapitecBankSA building. These men have just arrived. @SAPoliceService appears ready to move in. @WeekendArgus @IOL pic.twitter.com/U3XZow3Uvt
— Soyiso Maliti (@soyiso_maliti) September 19, 2018 Employees of the bank and those from other offices within the building have since been evacuated.
PICTURE: Supplied
"We can not say how people left the building. What we can say is that our members are dealing with the situation," said Traut.
After briefing the policeman, the man who appears to be a SAPS negotiator has walked into the building with another man. @IOL @WeekendArgus #Capitec pic.twitter.com/SFGACLREsH
— Soyiso Maliti (@soyiso_maliti) September 19, 2018 Asked what would happen if the suspect emerged from the building firing his weapon, Traut said "we are prepared".
Asked by @WeekendArgus if police are ready should the man come out firing, Traut says: "We're ready." the building is owned by Capitec for operations and also runs a bank on the ground floor. Police are pushing bystanders back. Bystanders say they didn't see anything @IOL pic.twitter.com/oZ7C2RBfFR
— Soyiso Maliti (@soyiso_maliti) September 19, 2018 He would not confirm how many police officers were on the ground. However, the K9 Unit is on scene, along with members of the City's Law Enforcement Unit.
Voortrekker Road has been closed in both directions between Durban Road and AJ West Road.
*This is a developing story.
Weekend Argus