2 guards hurt in botched heist
2003-07-01 13:40
Nelspruit - Two security guards were critically injured in a botched cash-in-transit heist near Schoemansdal informal settlement outside Nelspruit on Monday, Mpumalanga police reported.
Captain Mary Gama said on Tuesday the occupants of a grey Honda Ballade, with the registration number CMF 851 MP, attempted to force the Fidelity security vehicle off the road around noon. The Honda was joined moments later by a white Nissan 4x4.
The security officers managed to stay on the road and drove on until a car from Coin security showed up.
The would-be robbers fled towards Tonga village as the guards opened fired on them.
Gama said two guards from Fidelity, Malusi Radebe and Isaac Nzunza, were taken to a local hospital. They were injured by the impact of their vehicle being rammed.
The driver of the security vehicle, S M Nkabinde, was not injured.
The Honda Ballade, which was found to have been stolen in KaNyamazana in Nelspruit, was recovered.
No arrests had been made, Gama said.
In another armed robbery, also in KaNyamazana on Monday around 19:30, a church pastor was robbed of a bakkie and a cellphone after two men held up a congregation at the Dutch Reformed Church.
The robbers, who had covered their faces, fled with dominee Jacobus Kriel's white Toyota Hilux with the registration number BWK 303 MP.
Gama said no shots were fired and no one had been arrested.
- SAPA