A civilian was shot dead in a cash-in-transit heist on the N2 near the Ifafa turn-off on the KZN South Coast earlier this evening.

Gavin Black, an advanced life support paramedic for Mi7 who was on the scene, confirmed the incident.

“A civilian was tragically shot dead by the suspects as they (the civilians) drove past the scene,” he said.

Black said three guards had minor injuries, with one having been assaulted by the perpetrators. All three were transported to hospital by Mi7.

Witnesses from the scene said the cash-in-transit suspects blew up an armoured vehicle and proceeded to loot it. The armoured vehicle was travelling south, from Durban.

In the photograph above the gang is seen on the highway loading the cash into what appears to be two getaway vehicles.

Black said it was reported that two live explosions took place one after another, and that there was debris all over the highway.

“Parts of the vehicle were scattered into the centre median of the highway,” he said.

As well as emergency personnel, the police, including the Hawks, and members of local community policing forums, were on the scene.

Traffic was deadlocked on the N2 for quite some time.

Comment from the police had not been obtained at the time of publishing.