Man nabbed after Mpumalanga CIT heist to spend another week in jail

A man linked to a cash-in-transit heist on Friday in Mpumalanga will spend another week behind bars after his case was postponed to next Monday.

Zakhele Mnisi, 39, was arrested by Fidelity security guards during the robbery near Hazyview.

“It is alleged that at about 4.10pm an armoured vehicle without an escort was driving from Mkhulu to Hazyview. It was attacked by approximately seven suspects who shot at the vehicle, hitting the right front tyre and causing it to stop. The driver was shot in his hand while [he] and the passenger were robbed of their firearms,” Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Capt Dineo Sekgotodi said.

She said the suspects bombed the vehicle and an undisclosed amount of money was taken.

“A Fidelity helicopter, which was escorting one of their armoured vehicles, arrived at the scene and spotted the vehicles used by the suspects and followed them. They marked a Toyota Hilux [from which] they saw one suspect jumping out in an attempt to flee and immediately arrested him.”

During the high-speed chase, two other vehicles were found abandoned.

An investigation revealed all three vehicles were stolen from their owners who were stuck in a traffic jam caused by the robbery.

Mnisi was remanded in custody in the Kabokweni magistrate’s court and the case was postponed until May 15 for a bail application.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.