KWAZULU-NATAL – KwaZulu-Natal police have launched an intensive manhunt for unidentified suspects who opened fire on law enforcement officers, shooting and injuring two detained suspected cash-in-transit robbers. The ambush occurred as officers were transporting the arrested individuals to a police station following the discovery of an assault rifle and ammunition.
The incident originated on Monday night, 24 August 2026, when police officers conducting routine crime prevention and stop-and-search operations in Cato Manor observed a silver Toyota Etios parked at Bonela Sports Field along Raymond Road. Upon approaching the vehicle, officers discovered two occupants inside. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded an AK-47 assault rifle and four fully loaded magazines, leading to the immediate arrest of both individuals.
While transporting the detained suspects along Dunbar Road to formally process charges, police noticed they were being pursued by two vehicles: a white Toyota double cab and a white Toyota Corolla Cross. According to a KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, the arrested suspects urgently warned the officers to accelerate, revealing that the occupants of the pursuing vehicles were en route to deliver a second AK-47. The detainees stated they were awaiting this delivery for a cash-in-transit robbery scheduled for Tuesday, 25 August 2026.
Acting on the warning, police officers accelerated but soon came under heavy gunfire from the pursuing vehicles. Due to the presence of numerous members of the public in the vicinity, officers tactically refrained from returning fire to prevent civilian casualties. The police vehicle maneuvered defensively until reaching the safety of a nearby police station.
The two arrested suspects sustained gunshot wounds during the ambush and were immediately rushed to a local hospital. A police spokesperson confirmed that both individuals are currently recovering under strict police guard. KwaZulu-Natal police authorities have officially launched a manhunt to apprehend the individuals responsible for the attack and the attempted murder of police officers.
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