Free State police spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, confirms that six armed suspects accosted a group of South African Social Grant Agency (Sassa) personnel at 08:30 after a cash-in-transit vehicle had dropped off cash containers at the facility, incidentally located across the local police station. Mbambo tells OFM News’ Olebogeng Motse, it is believed the suspects have been following the cash-in-transit vehicle in a white Golf GTI, prior to the incident.

Police attended to the robbery after hearing screams at the closely located facility. It is then that a shoot-out between police and the suspects ensued. One suspect was killed, while another was critically injured in said shoot-out.

In the midst of the chaos, the four remaining suspects took an 80-year-old man hostage. They later shot and killed him and fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money in the deceased’s vehicle. Mbambo says it is believed some of them could have also been injured in the exchange of fire.

A security guard has also been reportedly injured in the shoot-out. Police indicate this person has been taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. “An R5 rifle and two pistols were found at the scene and confiscated. None of the police officers on duty were injured during the shooting,” concludes Mbambo.

The four suspects are still at large and a manhunt is currently underway.

OFM News