A robbery spree involving four armed suspects ended yesterday when three were shot and killed during a confrontation with police, while the fourth was injured and arrested.

Southern Courier reports that, according to police, the suspects had just robbed a courier vehicle in Thokoza, in the east of Ekurhuleni, before fleeing towards Soweto in the south of Johannesburg.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi says the suspects, travelling in a silver Toyota Corolla, were spotted on Kliprivier Road as they joined the N12 westbound towards Soweto.

“When police attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspects sped off, resulting in a high-speed chase and a shoot-out,” says Nevhuhulwi.

The chase came to an end on the N12 between the Xavier Street and Soweto off-ramps, where the suspects’ vehicle eventually came to a standstill.

“Three suspects were declared dead at the scene, while a fourth was injured and arrested,” Nevhuhulwi confirms.

Police recovered two firearms and some of the suspected stolen goods from the scene.

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Just after the reopening of the 2026 school year, one of Johannesburg’s busiest roads, the N12, has been closed to traffic Full story on southerncourier.co.za

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N12 Westbound brought to a standstill

The incident resulted in the complete closure of the N12 westbound near the Diepkloof Interchange, causing severe traffic congestion. Traffic backed up onto several alternative routes as motorists attempted to avoid the area.

Motorists were advised to use the Xavier Street exit to navigate around the closure.

Many road users were left stranded for hours and arrived at their destinations significantly later than expected.

Motorists share frustration

One motorist, who lives in Roodepoort and works in Alberton, described the delays as exhausting.

“I commute daily on the N12 westbound. What is usually a 30-minute drive turned into a frustrating hour-and-a-half standstill due to the highway closure following the shoot-out,” she says.

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The incident resulted in the complete closure of the N12 westbound near the Diepkloof Interchange, causing severe traffic congestion. Traffic backed up onto several alternative routes as motorists attempted to avoid the area. Full story on southerncourier.co.za

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She adds that she was stationary between Voortrekker Road and the Comaro Street off-ramp for more than an hour-and-a-half.

“I left work at 16:00 and only arrived home after 19:00. I eventually had to detour via Rosettenville. While safety is important, many motorists were stranded for extended periods,” she says.

Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.