THREE SUSPECTS SHOT DEAD IN R80 MABOPANE HIGHWAY GUNFIGHT!

Three suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers were shot dead during a fierce gun battle with police and private security officers on the R80 Mabopane Highway in Hercules, Pretoria, on Monday, 28 September 2026.

The dramatic confrontation unfolded as law-enforcement and private-security teams moved to intercept an armed group believed to be preparing to target a cash-in-transit vehicle.

According to information available at the scene, three suspects were fatally wounded during the exchange of gunfire, while a fourth suspect was wounded and arrested.

Several firearms and ammunition were recovered following the shootout.

The incident brought traffic on the R80 to a standstill as heavily armed police officers secured the area and forensic investigators processed the scene.

Gauteng Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Fred Kekana, was deployed to the scene as investigators began piecing together the events that led to the deadly confrontation.

The circumstances surrounding the suspected CIT operation, including how police and private security obtained intelligence about the alleged gang and the exact sequence of the shootout, are expected to form part of the investigation.

DEADLY GUNFIGHT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY

The R80 has previously been the scene of violent CIT-related incidents.

In July 2023, a cash-in-transit vehicle travelling from Soshanguve was attacked on the R80 by armed suspects travelling in a black Ford Ranger.

Police said the suspects opened fire on the cash vehicle, forcing it to stop.

The highway has also featured in other high-speed police pursuits and armed confrontations.

In August 2023, police intercepted suspects travelling on the R80 towards Pretoria following a house robbery in Brits, resulting in a shootout and the recovery of firearms and ammunition.

The latest incident therefore adds another serious armed-crime confrontation to the history of the busy Pretoria route.

FIREARMS RECOVERED!

Police have recovered firearms and ammunition from Monday’s scene.

The recovered weapons will form part of the forensic investigation, including ballistic testing to establish whether they may have been used in other crimes.

The fourth suspect, who was wounded during the confrontation, is expected to face criminal charges once medically cleared.

The identities of the three deceased suspects had not been publicly confirmed at the time of publication.

Police are expected to provide further details about the suspected robbery target, the firearms recovered and the charges facing the surviving suspect as the investigation progresses.

A police investigation into the shootout and the alleged CIT robbery plot is continuing.