JOHANNESBURG – Dramatic video footage has surfaced showing the moments of a deadly shootout in Ormonde last week, during which two businessmen were killed in a brazen armed robbery.
The victims were part of a cash-in-transit convoy that came under attack by heavily armed suspects. Yusuf Modan demonstrated bravery by turning his vehicle around to assist his colleagues who were under fire. By that stage, Abdul Hamid Moosa had already been fatally wounded. Modan was later shot and killed as he confronted the attackers. A security guard was also seriously injured in the incident.
According to details of the attack, the suspects ambushed the convoy, triggering a high-speed chase and exchange of gunfire. One suspect was killed and another was injured during the confrontation, while the remaining robbers fled the scene with the stolen cash.
Investigations by the South African Police Service are continuing.
Two Suspects Killed in Sebokeng Shootout After High-Speed Chase and Gunfight with Police and Private Security
SEBOKENG, Vaal Rand – Two suspects were shot dead during a high-speed chase and gunfight involving police officers and private security personnel in Sebokeng on the Vaal Rand.
The confrontation began when the suspects were pursued at high speed through the area. The chase ended in an exchange of gunfire between the suspects and the combined forces of police and private security. Both suspects were fatally wounded in the shootout.
After the incident, authorities recovered firearms from the scene.
The two men are linked to a string of serious crimes in the region, specifically armed robberies, vehicle hijackings, and cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies.
No further details on the identities of the deceased or the exact time of the incident have been released at this stage. The operation forms part of ongoing law enforcement actions targeting violent crime syndicates operating in the Vaal Rand and surrounding areas.
This incident comes amid continued concerns over armed criminal activity in Gauteng’s Vaal region, where hijackings and CIT heists have been a persistent challenge for authorities and private security firms working in partnership.
Emfuleni Municipality Acting Accountant Gunned Down in Broad-Daylight Attack at Vanderbijlpark Tyre Shop
Vanderbijlpark – A 39-year-old acting accountant employed by the Emfuleni Local Municipality was shot and killed on 30 March 2026 while waiting for a puncture to be repaired at a local tyre shop. The execution-style attack was captured on CCTV footage that later circulated widely on social media.
Martha Mani Rantsofu, who worked in the municipality’s revenue collection department, had recently been promoted to acting accountant after serving as a senior clerk. According to her brother, Tsotang Rantsofu, she was a dedicated public servant who often spent weekends at the office. Finance Member of the Mayoral Committee Hassan Mako described her as “a dedicated public servant” and called on law enforcement to act swiftly so that justice could be served.
The incident occurred in the evening. Tsotang Rantsofu received a call from his sister’s friend just after 7 pm instructing him to go to an address in Vanderbijlpark. On arrival he found the scene already cordoned off, with his sister’s body covered. “I saw a shoe and her leg … she was already covered,” he told Sowetan. “It was the shock of my life. I felt like my heart was outside my body and someone had stabbed it with a knife. I couldn’t believe it … seeing her face and lifeless body really killed me. My heart felt rage.”
CCTV footage of the attack shows an unknown man approaching Rantsofu, firing several shots, and then, as she fell, pumping additional bullets into her head at close range before fleeing the scene. No items were reported stolen and the motive for the killing remains unknown.
Rantsofu was due to graduate with an honours degree in public relations from the University of South Africa (Unisa) in June. Her brother said the family now faces the painful task of notifying the institution of her death and collecting her qualification posthumously. “Now we have to write to the institution to inform them she has passed, and we have to go and fetch her qualification without her,” he said.
The family remains in the dark about what led to the murder. Tsotang Rantsofu stated that “the relevant people should be arrested and tell us exactly what they were trying to hide” by killing her. He noted that her employment at the Emfuleni Local Municipality had raised a red flag for investigators. Rantsofu had also been an applicant in a legal battle involving a property developer, with the matter set down for trial on 9 April – before her death.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the murder and said the docket has been handed over to the South African Police Service’s Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) for investigation. Police have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
The family has expressed shock that such violence could be directed at Rantsofu, describing it as a deliberate act intended to ensure she “did not see the sun the next morning”. No arrests have been reported at this stage.
TMPD K9 Unit Arrests Male Suspect for Drug Possession and Dealing in Villieria
Villieria, 13 April 2026 – The Tshwane Metro Police Department K9 Unit arrested a male suspect on Sunday, 12 April 2026, in Villieria on charges of possession of and dealing in drugs.
The arrest followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation conducted by the TMPD K9 Unit. Police acted on information received about suspicious drug-related activities in the Villieria area and surrounding suburbs. K9 members responded promptly, tracked the suspect, and carried out the interception.
The suspect is known within the local area as a well-established drug dealer who has been operating in Villieria and nearby suburbs. During the operation, officers found the man in possession of several prohibited substances, specifically Mandrax, heroin, and crystal meth.
Immediately after the arrest, the suspect was transported to the local police station where he has been detained. He now faces formal charges of possession of drugs and dealing in drugs. Authorities have confirmed that the suspect is expected to appear in court within the next few days.
The details of the arrest and subsequent detention were confirmed by the TMPD Communication Unit. No further information regarding the quantity of drugs seized or additional suspects has been released at this stage.
- Robbery reported at tuckshop in Portlands, Mitchells Plain
- Two suspects arrested in connection with Kliprivier ATM bombing
- One suspect was killed and four others were arrested following a police shooting in Athlone, Cape Town, on Monday.
- Suspected Poachers Confronted by Member of the Public at Schoenmakerskop
- Three Suspects Shot Dead Following Armed Robbery at Jewellery Store in Highveld Mall, eMalahleni
Cable Theft Persists as Major Challenge to South Africa’s Infrastructure and Economy
Cable theft continues to affect critical infrastructure across South Africa, including power supply networks, railway systems, and telecommunications networks. Incidents involve the theft of copper cables and related equipment from state-owned entities and municipalities, resulting in direct financial losses, service disruptions, and broader economic effects.
According to data from multiple sectors, cable theft and associated vandalism impose significant costs. Combined direct losses to entities including Telkom, Eskom, PRASA, and Transnet have been estimated at approximately R7 billion annually, with wider economic impacts reaching around R187 billion per year. Independent research commissioned by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition placed the annual economic damage from copper theft alone at more than R45 billion. More than 20,000 cable theft cases are recorded nationwide each year.
In the power sector, Eskom has reported annual copper theft losses between R5 billion and R7 billion, plus an additional R2 billion for cable replacements. Vandalism and theft of infrastructure cost the utility R221 million in the financial year prior to April 2025. In Gauteng, Eskom recorded close to R7 billion in revenue losses linked to electricity theft and illegal connections. Johannesburg’s City Power utility documented 1,105 incidents of cable theft and vandalism throughout 2025. From July 2025 to January 2026, the utility recorded 652 such incidents, exceeding repair capacity and leaving communities without electricity for extended periods. A further 481 incidents occurred between January and June 2025, with a noted resurgence of 307 incidents between November 2025 and January 2026.
Rail infrastructure operated by Transnet has faced ongoing theft. In the 2023 financial year, 1,121 kilometres of cable were stolen, representing nearly an eight-fold increase over five years. During a single week in April 2022, 123 attacks on rail infrastructure resulted in the theft of 39.4 kilometres of copper cable. For the 2024/25 financial year, Transnet reported 6,345 security incidents overall, a 21% decrease from 8,234 incidents the previous year. These incidents, which prominently include cable theft, resulted in revenue losses of R1.59 billion, also down 21% year-on-year.
The telecommunications sector recorded a sharp rise in equipment theft during 2025. According to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (ICASA) State of the ICT Sector Report of South Africa 2026, the cost of stolen equipment increased by 189% to R201.5 million in 2025, up from R69.6 million in 2024. Theft and vandalism combined exceeded R340 million (approximately US$20.8 million) for the sector that year, making theft the dominant cost driver. Telkom has incurred tens of millions of rand annually for the replacement of stolen or vandalised cables and batteries from cellphone towers.
Law enforcement and affected entities have reported multiple arrests related to cable theft. In September 2025, Transnet and SAPS operations led to the arrest of 17 suspects in separate incidents nationwide. The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality confirmed the arrest of two municipal employees in February 2026 in connection with a cable theft incident, with a third employee still at large; more than 20 suspects were arrested in the metro since December 2025 for cable theft and infrastructure vandalism. In Cape Town, a convicted cable thief received a 15-year sentence in 2025 under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act for stealing over 400 kg of copper cables. Gauteng authorities shut down 1,079 scrap yards in February 2025 as part of efforts to address the trade in stolen materials.
Cable theft targets high-value copper from overhead lines, underground cables, signalling systems, and distribution boxes across power grids, railways, and telecom networks. The stolen material enters informal scrap markets, with reports indicating involvement of organised syndicates, scrap dealers, and international buyers. Incidents have led to power outages in residential and business areas, delays and cancellations of passenger and freight rail services, and disruptions to communication networks.
Entities including Transnet, Eskom, and municipalities maintain dedicated security measures, patrols, and partnerships with SAPS. Transnet publishes monthly cable theft statistics, and courts have applied provisions under the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act in prosecutions. Despite recorded decreases in some Transnet metrics for 2024/25, cable theft remains one of the most prevalent crimes affecting rail and broader infrastructure operations.
Data from ICASA, Transnet, Eskom, City Power, and law enforcement operations provide the basis for these figures, reflecting conditions up to early 2026.
