- The South African Police Service in the Eastern Cape arrested two suspects after they got into a shootout with cash-in-transit heist suspects
- One of them was killed in the shootout after the police tracked the suspects down to the R63 near Qumrha
- The Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu expressed his concern about the spate of cash in transit heists South Africa
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, cash-in-transit heists, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
QUMRHA, EASTERN CAPE — The Minister of Police applauded members of the South African Police Service for arresting two cash-in-transit (CIT) heist suspects in the Eastern Cape on 24 March 2025. One suspect was shot and killed in the ensuing shootout.
What happened in Qumrha?
According to the South African Police Service, members of the East London Tactical Response team and tracking team followed a white Isuzu double cab bakkie on the R63 near Qumrha. The suspects who were in the vehicle immediately reversed their vehicle and opened fire on the police officers.
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A shootout ensued between the two groups. One of the suspects was killed in the ensuing shootout, and the two suspects were arrested after they tried to flee the scene.
The police recovered three AK-47 rifles, one R5 rifle, two buckets of ammunition, a bulletproof vest and explosives. The vehicle was stolen from Mthatha and linked to a few heists in the province.
What did minister Mchunu say?
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu saluted the efforts of the police to arrest the suspects and expressed his concern about the spate of CITs in the country. He also noted that the extent to which the suspects were armed was alarming and concerning.
"The ministry, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, is committed to dismantling these criminal networks and ensuring that those responsible for these dangerous acts face the full force of the law," he said.
He also called on companies involved in transporting cash to tighten their security and be more vigilant.
What you need to know about CITs in South Africa
- The police in Gauteng killed three CIT suspects and arrested three suspects in Gauteng during a CIT bust in December 2024
- One suspect was killed, and six were wounded in a New Germany heist incident in KwaZulu-Natal in the same month
- In February 2025, the police also searched for suspects involved in a CIT on the N2 after they blew up a van and killed one person in the process
- The police thwarted a cash-in-transit heist in Laudium, where they killed six suspects en route to a heist in February
- The Maloti Regional Court sentenced a CIT robber to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of CIT crimes in March 2025
Man recalls witnessing CIT heist unfold
In a related article, Briefly News reported that a motorist recalled how she saw a CIT heist happen in front of her eyes on the N11 in October 2024. She said she arrived on the scene before the heist happened.
She said she saw a group of armed men. She heard multiple gunshots and saw a man fall to the ground. The vehicle then went up in flames before more gunshots ensued.
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