A brazen cash-in-transit (CIT) heist on the N2 south of Durban during peak morning traffic resulted in one fatality and ten injuries after a hail of gunfire erupted across multiple locations. The incident, which occurred between the M7 and the M1 Higginson Highway, caused widespread disruption and panic.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson described arriving at the scene to "total chaos," with security personnel and bystanders caught in the crossfire. The CIT vehicle had been forced off the road, ending up on its roof before being blown up by the suspects, who then robbed the van. Three security guards sustained injuries and were transported to hospital after receiving treatment at the scene.
Approximately 500 metres from the initial incident, three occupants of a minibus taxi travelling to work were also struck by gunfire. They too were stabilised by paramedics before being taken to hospital. Further down the road, on the Higginson Highway over the N2 bridge, two more individuals suffered gunshot wounds and were transported to hospital for treatment.
The violence continued on Silverglen Drive in Chatsworth, where paramedics encountered multiple shooting victims. Two women, believed to be in their thirties, and a security guard sustained gunshot and/or assault wounds. Tragically, one of the women succumbed to her injuries and was declared dead at the scene. The other two were stabilised and taken to hospital.
The Durban Metro Police issued a warning on their official Facebook page, advising motorists to find alternative routes due to the active CIT incident and heavy gunfire in the area. The N2 northbound between the Higginson Highway and NPC was completely closed.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, confirmed the incident and stated that police are searching for an unknown number of suspects. He detailed the events leading up to the shooting, reporting that the suspects accosted the CIT vehicle, assaulted security guards, and stole their firearms before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Colonel Netshiunda explained that during the robbery, the suspects fired numerous shots, injuring three bystanders. Their escape route took them through the Bayview area and onto Silverglen Drive, where they shot and injured a private security guard who had given chase. The suspects then allegedly shot at a minibus taxi, attempting to hijack it. During this attempted hijacking, a woman was fatally shot, and another woman walking nearby was also injured by gunfire. The N2 freeway remained closed for a significant period during peak morning traffic while investigations were underway.
