Suspect Loses Leg in Failed Cash-In-Transit Heist in Tokoza

By Mampho Modise

(The Post News)– A suspected robber lost his leg during a botched cash-in-transit (CIT) heist in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, on Tuesday morning. The dramatic attempt ended in failure, with no money stolen and all suspects fleeing the scene.

According to Gauteng police, ten armed suspects traveling in three vehicles ambushed a cash van in Phola Park Extension 5. The attackers rammed the van with a silver BMW at the corner of Khumalo and Murubisi Streets before attempting to open it with explosives.

During the attempted bombing, one suspect was seriously injured and lost a leg. He and the others fled in two remaining vehicles, leaving the damaged BMW behind.

Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that the securities in the cash van were not injured and no money was taken. While no arrests have been made, police have launched a probe into the attempted robbery.

Meanwhile, security analysts say this incident is part of a broader trend of increasingly violent and coordinated CIT robberies in South Africa. According to Nomsa Dlamini, a Johannesburg-based security risk consultant, the amount of violence and tactical planning demonstrates that the criminals operate as paramilitary forces. Dlamini claimed that the numerous escape vehicles and the deployment of explosives point to insider knowledge and premeditation.

Another expert who is a former police officer and private security advisor, Themba Mahlangu, noted the lack of consequences as a driving factor behind such crimes, stating that the low rates of arrests and convictions give these syndicates more confidence. He added that the heists will only be prevented by a systematic and apparent crackdown.

The CIT industry has suffered millions of rands in losses due to these attacks, prompting calls for tighter security, better intelligence gathering, and improved coordination between police and private security firms.