Three other suspects are receiving medical treatment under police guard in a hospital.

Members of the SAPS Tactical Response Team (TRT) were following up on crime intelligence-driven information relating to suspects who were on their way to commit a CIT robbery on Thursday 6 April. 

According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, the suspects were traced to an identified address in Sebokeng where a shoot-out ensued between the armed suspects and police.

A total of eight suspects were certified dead at the scene while the ninth suspect died in hospital. Three others were transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Six rifles, six commercial explosives that were already assembled and ready to be detonated, and four vehicles were seized.

Mathe says members of the explosives unit rendered the recovered explosives safe in the interest of the community.

The Minister of Police General Bheki Cele says he is confident that police are making serious inroads in the fight against serious and violent crime.

“If they come hard on us, we came harder on them, it’s them and us on behalf of the community. We can’t co-govern, we can’t rule with criminals.  We are asserting the authority of the state on behalf of our communities,” said Cele.

Police are on high alert nationwide ahead of the busy Easter weekend. Law-abiding citizens are urged to be extra vigilant and continue to report wrongdoing and criminality to the crime stop number on 0860010111.

Statement supplied.