Randvaal, Gauteng – A confrontation between South African Police Service (SAPS) officers and armed suspects unfolded at the Engen Blockhouse service station along the R59 highway in Randvaal on the morning of February 25, 2026. The incident resulted in one police officer sustaining gunshot wounds and two suspects being fatally shot during the exchange of fire.
The shootout took place at approximately 6:53 AM SAST, prompting an immediate response from law enforcement. Authorities established a crime scene at the location, blocking off the road leading to the petrol station and deploying multiple police vehicles to secure the area. Motorists traveling northbound on the R59 toward Johannesburg were advised to avoid the vicinity due to the ongoing police activity and resulting delays.
Details of the events leading up to the shootout indicate that the suspects were involved in robbery activities at the time of the encounter with police. The injured SAPS member was promptly attended to, though the extent of the wounds has not been disclosed. The two suspects were pronounced dead at the scene following the gunfire exchange.
The R59 highway, a major route in Gauteng connecting areas south of Johannesburg, has seen similar incidents in the past, but this event stands as a distinct occurrence on February 25, 2026. No additional casualties among civilians or further suspects have been reported in connection with this specific shootout.
Investigations into the identities of the suspects and the precise circumstances surrounding the initiation of the shootout remain ongoing as of 9:57 AM SAST. Authorities have not released further statements regarding potential motives or related arrests at this time.
Triple Tragedy in Tongaat: 37-Year-Old Man and His Two Daughters Found Dead in Belvedere Home
Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal – On Tuesday, 24 February 2026, the bodies of 37-year-old Leon Munsamy and his daughters, Emilia (4) and Elana (7), were discovered at a home in the Sastri Circle neighbourhood of Belvedere, Tongaat.
A school transporter contacted the girls’ mother after the children did not arrive at school that day. Neighbours reported attempting to call Munsamy with no response. Private security company On Target was alerted at approximately 1:20 pm. Officers found the house locked and could not gain immediate entry.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) officers were dispatched around 2 pm. Upon arrival, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other emergency services were already on scene. Inside the residence, Munsamy was found hanged from the ceiling. The two girls were found dead in a bedroom.
It is alleged that Munsamy poisoned his daughters before taking his own life. The children were reported to have frothing at the mouths. The incident is believed to have occurred the previous night.
Munsamy, who worked for a petroleum company, had been living at the Belvedere address since June. He was separated from his wife, and the daughters resided primarily with their mother, spending weekends with their father.
Neighbours noted hearing loud music from the property the previous evening but raised no immediate concerns.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation by SAPS. No further details on toxicology or official cause of death have been released.
RUSA head Prem Balram stated: “Reaction officers were immediately dispatched to the property in Sastri Circle, Belvedere. Upon arrival, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other private emergency services were already on scene. It was established that the body of a male was located hanging inside the residence. During further assessment of the property, two female children aged four and seven were found dead in a bedroom. Circumstances leading up to the minors’ deaths are subject to investigation.”
This article is compiled solely from verified reports by IOL/The Post, Daily News, and statements from emergency responders. No unconfirmed details or external commentary have been included.
Deadly Shootout Ends Pursuit of Cash-in-Transit Robbery Suspects in KwaZulu-Natal
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal – Two suspects linked to a cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery were killed in a confrontation with police on February 24, 2026, following a high-stakes chase that began after a heist in Verulam the previous day.
The incident traces back to February 23, 2026, when at least 12 armed suspects targeted a CIT vehicle at the intersection of Jabu Ngcobo and Fairview roads in Verulam, north of Durban. The robbery occurred on Old Inanda Road in the Brindhaven area, where the perpetrators made off with an undisclosed sum of money after a violent encounter.
Local residents alerted private security firm Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) to the robbery, reporting explosions and gunfire. Upon arrival, RUSA officers engaged in a shootout with the heavily armed suspects, during which a RUSA response vehicle was struck by two bullets. Firearms believed to have been abandoned by the fleeing robbers were later recovered at the scene.
Acting on intelligence from crime units, members of the Durban Metropolitan Police Service (DMPS) supported the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in tracking the suspects to the Nhlazatshe area in Shayamoya, Edendale, outside Pietermaritzburg. Upon approaching, law enforcement encountered three individuals who initiated gunfire against the officers.
In the ensuing exchange, two of the suspects sustained fatal injuries at the location. The third suspect escaped by leaping over a fence and discarding a rifle during the pursuit.
KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the details of the robbery and subsequent shootout, noting the connection between the Verulam heist and the events in Edendale. Authorities continue to investigate the full scope of the operation, including the recovery of any additional evidence from the scenes.
This event highlights ongoing challenges with CIT robberies in the region, where coordinated police efforts aim to disrupt such criminal activities. No officers were reported injured in the Pietermaritzburg confrontation.
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SAPS Raids Ultra Liquors Outlet in Gauteng Over Fake License and Counterfeit Goods
Johannesburg, Gauteng – South African Police Service (SAPS) officers conducted a raid on an Ultra Liquors outlet in Gauteng following the discovery of a suspected fraudulent operating license. The operation targeted one of the chain’s stores as part of broader initiatives to combat the sale of illegal and counterfeit liquor across South Africa.
During the raid, authorities seized counterfeit alcohol and additional illicit goods estimated to be worth more than R400,000. This seizure aligns with ongoing enforcement actions against the distribution of fake alcoholic beverages, which pose significant health risks to consumers.
SAPS has emphasized the importance of purchasing alcohol solely from verified and licensed retailers to avoid the dangers associated with counterfeit products. The raid is connected to wider concerns about illicit alcohol networks in the province, including recent inspections that uncovered unverified batches of liquor at other Ultra Liquors locations.
In a related development earlier this month, SAPS’s FLASH unit, alongside the Gauteng Liquor Board, shut down an illegal liquor outlet in De Deur, Gauteng, on February 4, 2026, after confirming a fraudulent license. A trader was arrested and charged in that incident, following intelligence reports on fake licenses in the area. Investigations into such operations continue, with authorities intensifying compliance checks across Gauteng.
Separate enforcement actions have also targeted counterfeit alcohol production in the region. For instance, police uncovered a fake alcohol manufacturing plant in Westonaria, seizing drums of counterfeit spirits like vodka and whiskey, along with packaged liquor ready for distribution. In another case in Dobsonville, two foreign nationals were arrested on January 17, 2026, for producing fake alcohol, including imitations of brands like Remy Martin. These arrests involved the confiscation of machinery and packaged alcohol during an intelligence-led raid.
Gauteng police have issued warnings about the escalating issue of counterfeit alcohol, noting that such products can endanger public health. The province has seen multiple busts, including a prior operation in Boksburg where nearly R400,000 worth of counterfeit goods were seized and two individuals arrested. These efforts underscore the SAPS’s commitment to disrupting illegal alcohol supply chains.
