At least nine suspects, thought to be involved in a cash-in-transit heist, were shot dead during a shootout with police early this morning in Golden Gardens, Sebokeng.

According to information received, four other suspects were shot and wounded, and three more were arrested.

Six rifles, explosives, ammunition, and bullet vests were recovered on the scene, following the incident.

Residents woke up to a massive crime scene, with police minister Bheki Cele visiting the area during investigations.

Authorities are at the scene, investigating where allegedly about 8 suspected CIT robbers were shot and killed during a shootout with Gauteng Police.#CITRobbery #SedibengSter #BREAKINGNews pic.twitter.com/j6rXpy4Pzi

— Sifiso Jimta (@JimtaSifiso) April 6, 2023

Addressing the media, Cele says the house where the incident happened belongs to a parolee.

Cele said police were following up information by crime intelligence. “Two weeks ago, we have been hit around here including Harris (a street in Sebokeng) about three days ago. We had to put a team to respond to these crimes including crime intelligence,” he says.

Cele adds that the killed suspects had high performance vehicles idling outside the house when the shootout happened.

Minister in Police Bheki Cele have just arrived at the scene, following the shooting and Killing of 8 suspects suspected to be linked to CIT robberies. This morning, the group had a shootout with Gauteng Police.#SedibengSter #CITRobbery #GautengPolice #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/IVyqrY36xg

— Sifiso Jimta (@JimtaSifiso) April 6, 2023

“The suspects were ready to roll with three SUVs idling including X5 BMW, Mercedes-Benz ML and another vehicle outside the house. At about 04:30 in the morning our team arrived here and were met by fire as suspects shot at them, and they responded and killed eight of those guys.

“Six high calibre rifles were recovered on the scene, four of the suspects were critical and one died, which means they are now nine suspects fatally shot. We are profiling them, and I can safely say one of the guys found here is from KwaZulu-Natal,” he says.

Police Minister Bheki Cele addressed the media following the shootout in Golden Gardens, where nine suspects were shot and killed.#SedibengSter #CITRobbery pic.twitter.com/lnH7m74Rpu

— Sifiso Jimta (@JimtaSifiso) April 6, 2023

While three more suspects remain in critical condition after the shootout, police say there might be an increase in the number of the fatalities.

Tshepiso Mofokeng (30) said they heard gunshots around 12:00 in the early hours of the morning.

“Following those gun shots, we heard shots again around past four, that was when cops had a shootout with the deceased. We don’t know what transpired or what led to the shooting, but it was the first time we hear of such firearms going on in our hood,” he said.

From the outside of the house, pullet holes could be seen on the walls of the house and some of the windows broken from the shootout.