Police shot dead six would-be robbers in Kameeldrift, Pretoria, on Monday while an officer was wounded in both legs.
Director Sally de Beer said a search was under way for three other gang members — believed to have escaped.
”The investigation is continuing,” she said, adding that police were still on the scene and would identify the dead through fingerprinting.
A shoot-out occurred after guards near the Baviaanspoort Prison, north of Pretoria, noticed two cars approaching a Coin security van that was transporting cash at about midday. The guards notified police and a special task force and the police’s air wing were dispatched.
When police arrived, the robbers got out of two vehicles — a black Volkswagen Polo and a white Nissan bakkie.
”The suspects started firing at the Coin van, shooting at its tyres,” said De Beer.
The task force opened fire, killing six gunmen.
A police superintendent was shot in both legs. He was airlifted to hospital and was in a stable condition.
So far, three R5 rifles, four pistols and a shotgun had been recovered from the scene.
The Nissan bakkie was found to have been stolen in Boksburg in June this year.
Police National Commissioner Bheki Cele congratulated the officers on a job ”well done”. He emphasised that if police were fired upon they had every right to respond.
At the same time, police stopped a minibus taxi at the scene and came across two wanted criminals who were subsequently arrested. One was wanted for an armed robbery and the other for a murder that took place in Olifantsfontein. — Sapa