Durban, March 4, 2026 – Chaos erupted on the N2 southbound highway near the NPC industrial area this morning as armed robbers launched a daring cash-in-transit (CIT) heist, shooting two security guards and triggering a full highway shutdown.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots around 10:30 AM when a heavily armed gang ambushed a GardaWorld armored vehicle carrying millions in cash. The attackers, believed to be at least six men in a silver bakkie and a white quantum taxi, unleashed a hail of bullets, shattering the truck’s windows and wounding the guards.
One guard, aged 42, sustained critical injuries to his upper body and was airlifted by Netcare 911 paramedics to a Durban hospital. His colleague, 35, suffered gunshot wounds to the leg but remained conscious at the scene, receiving on-site stabilization. “It was like a movie – explosions, smoke, and robbers fleeing with bags of cash,” said motorist Sipho Mkhize, stuck in the ensuing traffic jam.
Police and provincial traffic officers swiftly cordoned off the highway, causing massive backups stretching to Prospecton. The N3 interchange remains closed as bomb squads probe suspected explosives used to blast open the CIT van. Cash bags littered the roadway, with initial reports estimating R5 million stolen.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi condemned the “cowardly attack,” vowing a manhunt with roadblocks and drone surveillance. This marks the third CIT heist in Durban this year, highlighting rising audacity amid economic pressures.
Motorists are urged to use alternate routes via Old Main Road. Investigations continue; updates on aagvgu.co.za