Hawks spokesperson in the province, Lynda Steyn, confirms a manhunt is underway for at least ten suspects alleged to have opened gunfire on a cash-in-transit van on Monday morning at around 06:30 am. Steyn says no money was taken, nor were there any casualties. Bullet cases were found by authorities across the crime scene which stretches quite a distance on the R702 road. Steyn says they do not suspect the attempt was an inside job, as has been established in previous cash-in-transit heists.

South Africa has in recent years seen an uptick in the instances of cash-in-transit heists, with police pressured to come up with new strategies and interventions to counter the scourge. In November 2018, Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed strides had been made in a matter of months, with a 36% decline in heists between April 2018 and November 2018. Cele said 237 suspects had been arrested between 4 April and 4 November and 118 cash-in-transit robberies were recorded.

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