How Cash-In-Transit industry plans to decrease attacks in 2026

THE Cash-In-Transit Association of South Africa (Citasa) says additional safety measures are being deployed towards efforts to decrease CIT heists this year.

The latest incident involves an attack on a cash Van in Gauteng where suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of money. 

Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the cash van, escorted by a security officer driving behind it, was rammed by a white Mercedes-Benz approaching from the opposite direction on Elias Motsoaledi Road in Roodepoort. The cash van overturned, and more suspects joined in and bombed the cash van while others were engaged in a shootout with the security officer from an escort vehicle.

“The suspects then disarmed the three security officers who were in a cash van and took an undisclosed amount of cash,” Masondo said. 

He said that before fleeing the scene in two BMWs and a Nissan Hardbody bakkie, the suspects set alight the Mercedes-Benz used to ram the cash van.

Masondo said two cars suspected of having been used in the CIT robbery were found after the robbery. The white BMW and  Nissan Hardbody bakkie turned out to have been hijacked in Gauteng and the North West, respectively.

“Swift response by various units of the South African Police Service in Gauteng, Gauteng Traffic Police and private security officers led to the recovery of one BMW and Nissan Hardbody inside the yard of one of the houses in Meadowlands, Soweto. Two people who were found inside the house, a male and a female, were taken by the police for questioning.” 

Police are still searching for the suspects, with the hope to recover the stolen cash. 

Citasa head Grant Clark said their main focus remained on the saving of lives, protection of assets and creating a stable environment for cash operations. 

He said Citasa enhances the safety of CIT operations through continuous stakeholder engagements, sharing information and crime risk analysis to facilitate intelligence-led operations with law enforcement.

He said the CIT industry is continuously investing in ensuring the safety of staff and assets. 

“Various methods of monitoring and observation. Additional surveillance when conducting services. Armoured vehicles, bullet-resistant clothes, proper training, as well as firearms,” Clark said.. 

The fight against CIT robberies depends crucially on the enforcement of current legislation, Clark said citing  the Explosives Act.

“Draft assets in transit regulations have also been published to guide the CIT industry,” Clark said.

Cape Times