Bomber gang kills patron at fuel station
"However, the possibility has not been excluded," he added.
MBOMBELA – No link has been established between two violent robberies that shook KaNyamazane and Kamhlushwa over the past five days.
On Thursday more than 10 rifle-wielding suspects ambushed an SBV vehicle and robbed its driver of an undisclosed amount of cash.
Yesterday morning, one civilian was shot and killed and another injured after 13 or 14 robbers hit the KwaMhlushwa Sasol garage.
“At this moment it seems that the two incidents are not linked,” said police spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi.
“However, the possibility has not been excluded,” he added.
Yesterday morning, between 02:00 and 03:00, a large group of robbers targeted the KwaMhlushwa Sasol fuel station.
“Two unsuspecting civilians who were filling up their tanks were shot.
“One died and one has been hospitalised,” said Hlathi.
He did not identify the victim, as his next of kin had not yet been notified of his death.
According to Hlathi, the robbers used explosives to blow up a drop safe. They did not manage to gain access to its contents. According to a reliable source, they robbed the filling station’s tellers of an undisclosed amount of cash and sped off.
“They were driving a white Ford Bantam and are still on the loose,” he said.
Hlathi confirmed that an SBV vehicle was targeted by between 11 and 15 heavily armed suspects on Thursday afternoon. According to a reliable source, they were armed with AK-47 and R5 rifles.
The cash-in-transit vehicle was travel-ling from Matsulu to KaNyamazane at about 17:40 when a white Mercedes allegedly overtook it and fired shots at it. The SBV driver pulled over.
“His passenger ran away and was shot in the back,” said the source.
Hlathi could not update the paper on the wounded guard’s condition. Both guards were disarmed.
The R5 the robbers took was recovered shortly after the incident.
The police’s Capt Jabu Ndubane said the robbers used explosives to gain access to an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene.
According to Ndubane, the group sped off in the Mercedes, a charcoal-coloured sedan and a red Volkswagen Golf.
Hlathi urged members of the public to come forward with any information that would assist the police in their investigation. “Call WO Mduduzi Shongwe on 082-359-3112 with any information,” he said.
