Five suspected bank robbers were fatally wounded in a shootout with police on the N14 Ventersdorp highway and a female suspect arrested yesterday.
It is alleged intelligence-driven information was received that suspects in a silver grey Toyota and white VW Polo were planning to commit a robbery in or near Carletonville, west of Johannesburg.
Police spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the information was operationalised and the vehicles were observed in Carletonville driving around various banks.
“As they left the Carletonville area, the integrated law enforcement team tactically proceeded to try to stop the suspects who, upon realising that they are being pulled over, opened fire on law enforcement team,” said Mogale.
The team comprised of the Hawks Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS), Gauteng Traffic Saturation unit, Gauteng Traffic Chopper, MDOC CI CIT Team, PHO Crime Intelligence, Tracker Connect, CAP Specialised Operations, FRS-Falcon Risk Solutions, Badboyz Security, Absa Investigation and Insurance Crime Bureau.
“In the ensuing shootout, five suspects between 25 and 35 were fatally wounded and a female suspect was arrested. The suspects’ vehicles have been positively linked to three cases in Groblersdal, Secunda and Hercules. Investigation continues,” Mogale said.
Recently, it has been seen that women now partake in criminal activities.
On November 16, about 20 heavily armed suspects, including two women, were involved in an ATM bombing at a Total garage in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni.
Those suspects are facing charges of ATM bombing, murder (one SAPS) and attempted murder of another officer.
Meanwhile, the Police Ministry said it’ was appalled by the rampant killing of police officers.
The SAPS has lost over 70 police officers in the past seven months to criminal attacks and ambushes.
This figure comes as the SAPS buries two officers in a single day.
Police Minister General Bheki Cele together with the SAPS management led by Deputy National Commissioner Lt Gen Tebello Mosikili, laid to rest a young officer, in his first year of service, who was shot and killed while on duty in KwaZulu-Natal.
Constable Sphesihle Cele, 26, a Public Order Policing (POP) member, was on shot dead while he and his team members responded to a complaint of a man carrying a firearm inside a tavern in Empangeni.
While responding to the scene, the young officer was shot at by the armed man and died at the scene. The shooter was shot dead by the police.
Delivering the eulogy at the funeral service, Cele expressed his revulsion at the killing of officers.
“We are appalled that about 10 police officers have been killed every single month since April; all at the hands of criminals. These criminals are daring taking on the police and taking on the policemen... this is why I will forever call on police to fight fire with fire, especially when their lives are threatened. No officer must ever die with a weapon in their hands,” Cele said.
In Gauteng, Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale together with the National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, led proceedings of the funeral service of the late Constable Marven Maphoro. He was shot dead while responding to an ATM bombing at a filling station in Tembisa.
Mathale urged police officers to use force proportional to the threat when under attack.
“Don’t hesitate to use the resources we have given you to defend your communities and yourselves. Don’t hesitate to use force which proportional to the threat, communities are depending on you for protection,” said Mathale.
The latest crime statistics show that 35 officers were killed on and off duty between July and September 2023.
Since the start of the financial year in April, 78 officers have been killed in South Africa.
The Star