Three men were shot dead by police along the R74 between Estcourt and Colenso on Sunday evening, 12 October 2025, after officers intercepted a planned cash-in-transit (CIT) heist before it could be carried out.
According to official reports, the DPCI Provincial Tracking Team, working in close collaboration with private security partners, had been monitoring intelligence related to the planned robbery. After confirming the information, the team initiated a coordinated operation.
Investigations revealed that one of the suspects was already a wanted fugitive, linked to multiple murders and the possession of unlicensed firearms.
Armed with a warrant of arrest, officers positioned themselves along the R74 to intercept the suspects before they could execute their plan.
However, when police signalled a Chevrolet Cruze — believed to be the getaway vehicle — to pull over, the suspects allegedly opened fire in a desperate attempt to flee. A high-speed chase ensued along the national route, quickly escalating into a violent gun battle that ended when the suspects’ vehicle veered off the road and crashed.
In the aftermath, three of the men were confirmed dead at the scene. A fourth suspect, reportedly armed with an AK-47, managed to escape into nearby bushes after dropping a magazine. Police have since launched a manhunt for the fugitive, while firearms and ammunition recovered from the vehicle have been seized as evidence. Fortunately, no officers were injured during the exchange.
Both the KwaZulu-Natal SAPS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) have confirmed the incident.
However, DPCI spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo, together with the KZN SAPS Provincial Department, indicated that no further details could be released at this stage, as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has assumed control of the investigation.
Furthermore, the Estcourt–Colenso operation underscores the persistent threat posed by cash-in-transit heists in KwaZulu-Natal.
As of October 2025, the province accounted for 34% of national CIT incidents recorded up to early March 2025 — an increase from 27% of over 200 cases reported in 2024, according to the Cash-in-Transit Association of South Africa (CITASA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
By February 2025, KwaZulu-Natal had recorded eight CIT heists, representing 40% of the national total of 20.
This contributed to a 73% year-on-year increase compared to January 2024 levels (CITASA, 2025; SAPS, 2025). On-road attacks, particularly along routes such as the R74 and N2, remain the most common — with four additional heists reported during the first week of March 2025 alone.
This foiled heist resulted in three suspects being killed and one fugitive escaping armed with an AK-47. The incident aligns with over 100 suspect neutralisations recorded in KZN shootouts during 2024 and at least six additional CIT-linked cases in 2025, including incidents in KwaMashu and Richmond (IPID, 2025; SAPS, 2025).
In February 2025, four suspects were arrested in Ekuvukeni for a separate CIT heist, with five unlicensed firearms recovered, demonstrating the continued crackdown on organised criminal networks.
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