Police have been hailed for thwarting a potential cash-in-transit heist, leading to the killing of eight suspect robbers and the arrest of five more in Khayelitsha.
The shooting on Monday happened when police, acting on information, went to a house in an area known as Town Two, where they apparently came under fire.
At the scene, various firearms and ammunition were confiscated, including seven AK-47 rifles, two R5 rifles, one R4 rifle, one Dashprod rifle, two 9mm pistols and three improvised explosive devices.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the matter was under investigation.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani confirmed the five arrested suspects were expected to appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said at the ANC lekgotla: “We welcome what police did in Khayelitsha. That is the duty of the police, to intercept crime and to bring crime down.” said Mchunu at the ANC lekgotla on Tuesday.
Community leader and activist Mbulelo Dwane said: “Residents are in a jovial mood celebrating the heroes in blue.
“We have been saying for a very long time that police officers from outside the area should be brought in to bring these criminals in our area down, and this successful operation is testament to that.
“We are really celebrating the police as the heroes they are for their action taken, especially because none of the lives of the men in blue were lost.
“We are concerned about the warlike weapons the criminals used.
If any criminal can point and shoot at a police officer, that is a direct attack on the state and cannot be tolerated,” said Dwane.
The Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) encouraged zero tolerance against criminals, who they said were in possession of dangerous weapons that may be used to intimidate and kill innocent people.
“As KDF we reaffirm our conviction that crime harms businesses and the community at large. Therefore, any improvement in policing in our communities is a necessary ingredient for successful businesses.”
Premier Alan Winde expressed concern over the calibre of firearms confiscated. “This is proof that when co-ordinated intelligence and evidence-based policing are implemented, violent crime can be prevented, and we can make inroads in our efforts to fight crime.
However, I am deeply concerned about the calibre of weaponry the suspects were allegedly armed with.
I shudder to think of the bloodshed that would have been caused had they been used in our communities,” said Winde.
The Western Cape Provincial Community Policing Board said the SAPS’s commitment to not retreating under attack resulted in a successful outcome.
Cape Times