Tangeni Amupadhi and Mungo Soggot
Highway heists have become one of South Africa’s favourite crimes, with gangs of well-trained operatives pulling off a spate of audacious robberies involving tens of millions of rands.
Police say they have arrested about 250 suspects, but a substantial number have escaped – as in the case of former African National Congress local councillor Colin Chauke, whom police have described as the mastermind behind some of the most daring robberies.
“We will have him before Christmas,” Director “Bushie” Engelbrecht, the head of the special team investigating heists, vowed this week. “He is always in our minds.”
At least 20 security guards were killed in action in 1997. Banks say nearly R70- million was stolen in highway robberies last year, almost none of which has been recovered.
These are some of the major cases. All involve suspects who are represented by attorney Shafique Sarlie and advocate Manie Dempers.
Bronkhorstspruit, July 31 1997: A cash-in- transit van was ambushed on the N4 highway near Bronkhorstspruit by 15 men.
The robbers dragged a chain of metal spikes across the east-bound lanes of the highway. Two guards were shot dead and Pretoria deputy fire chief Gordon Kuhn, who was driving past, was seriously wounded. Police claimed to have recovered R600 000 of the R17-million that was stolen. More than 17 suspects were arrested and many were refused bail.
Marble Hall, Mpumalanga, December 17 1997: R10-million was stolen by a gang of about 20 robbers, armed with AK-47 rifles and Tokarev pistols.
They used a yellow truck with government number plates to force an armoured vehicle carrying cash from the highway. Three security guards died in the collision and three others were shot dead during the robbery. Thirteen suspects are facing trial.
Grayston, Sandton, January 21 1998: About 20 robbers took R3,8-million from a van carrying R8,5-million. They used four cars to block the van on an off-ramp to the M1 highway. They sprayed the van with machine- gun fire. Four guards were severely wounded but managed to reach the highway.
The police have granted a suspect – a fraud squad policeman – indemnity from prosecution in exchange for his co- operation in tracking down the rest of the gang.
Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, January 31 1998: R10,5-million taken by 15 people using four cars. The first attack team used a bakkie to force the van off the road. Two suspects died in the collision.
A second car collected the dead and injured robbers. A third vehicle, an ambulance, collected the money. A police van was then used to sweep the area and cover their tracks. Seven suspects have been arrested. Police claim to have recovered R4,4- million.
Sunnyside SBV depot, Pretoria, October 18 1997: R12,6-million taken when robbers abducted the depot keyholders and forced them to open a safe. Four suspects were arrested, including Chauke, who made a spectacular escape from the Pretoria local prison on December 5.