Pretoria, South Africa – February 12, 2026
Armed robbers targeted the Viva Petrol Station at the intersection of K54 and Tsamaya Road in Mamelodi, Pretoria, in the early hours of Thursday morning, leading to a violent confrontation in which some suspects were shot dead and firearms were recovered.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 AM. According to reports from the scene, the perpetrators attempted to gain access to the station’s cash safe by using explosives. Multiple blasts were reported in the area, consistent with the bombing of a drop safe, a tactic sometimes used in business robberies in South Africa. Nearby residents described hearing a series of explosions, with some accounts specifying around three blasts before gunfire erupted.
During the robbery, a shootout took place at the petrol station. Initial reports indicate that several suspects were fatally shot in the exchange. Firearms belonging to the suspects were seized at the scene. Details on the exact number of individuals killed, any possible survivors or arrests, and whether any cash was taken remain limited as the situation is still developing.
Community members and local alerts described the station’s security as responding effectively to the threat. Some accounts from people in the vicinity mentioned the sound of sustained gunfire following the explosions and the possible involvement of aerial support, such as a helicopter, during the response.
The Viva Petrol Station on Tsamaya Road is a well-known fuel stop in the Mamelodi township. Similar robberies involving the bombing of cash safes or ATMs have occurred at other petrol stations in the Mamelodi area in recent years, including incidents in 2024 where explosives damaged drop safes and, in at least one case, resulted in the death of a petrol attendant.
As of the latest available information, no official statement has been released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) detailing the full circumstances, the identities or number of suspects involved, or the outcome for any station staff or bystanders. Investigations into the robbery, the use of explosives, and the fatal shooting are underway.
This event adds to ongoing concerns about armed business robberies and cash-safe bombings in Gauteng townships, where criminals frequently target high-cash businesses during off-peak hours.
Further updates are expected once police confirm details from the scene and forensic investigations. Authorities have not yet commented on any potential links to other recent crimes in the region.
Woman from Somerset West Assaulted and Robbed on Cape Town Airport Access Road
A woman from Somerset West was driving on the Airport access road in Cape Town on Saturday evening when she became the victim of a robbery involving a firearm. The incident occurred at approximately 7pm.
According to eyewitness accounts, the driver encountered a series of rocks that had been positioned on the roadway. Her vehicle struck the rocks and stalled as a result. A man then approached the driver’s window while brandishing a firearm. He threatened to shoot her if she did not comply with his demands.
The suspect struck the woman on the chest with the firearm before taking her handbag and mobile phone. After the theft, he crossed the road, climbed over a barricade, and fled into nearby informal settlements.
The victim was left shaken by the assault. No further details about her injuries have been released beyond the strike to the chest.
This event involved a single armed suspect who used the strategically placed rocks to stop the vehicle and carry out the robbery. Eyewitnesses described the sequence, noting how the obstacles forced the car to halt before the man approached.
The robbery follows a similar incident reported last month on New Year’s evening. An elderly deaf couple was travelling on the N1 highway near Century City when their vehicle broke down. Men who appeared to offer assistance instead ambushed them, assaulted the couple with weapons, and stole their wallets, phones, and the male victim’s hearing aid.
Attempts to obtain comment from the Western Cape South African Police Service about the Airport access road robbery have not been successful so far.
In connection with ongoing attacks on motorists, particularly along the N2, Freedom Front Plus councillor Emre Uygun issued a statement advising members of the public on how to report such crimes. He said there are many incidents involving motorists on the N2, but some victims avoid opening cases because they do not feel safe visiting the Nyanga police station. Uygun recommended that people go to their local police station—in areas such as Brackenfell, Mitchells Plain, or Bellville—to open a case and then request that it be transferred to the relevant authority.
The facts of the Saturday evening incident remain as reported by eyewitnesses: rocks placed on the Airport access road, a stalled vehicle, an armed approach, threats, a physical strike with the firearm to the chest, theft of a handbag and phone, and the suspect’s escape into nearby shacks after crossing a barricade. No arrests have been announced in connection with this specific case.
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10-Year-Old Grade 4 Pupil from Riverview Primary School Injured in Palmview Pedestrian Accident
PALMVIEW, KwaZulu-Natal – A ten-year-old boy, a grade four learner at Riverview Primary School in Palmview, suffered a fractured left leg after being struck by a vehicle on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident took place on Swift Palm in the Palmview area. The child ran across the road from behind a stationary vehicle and was hit by a passing car.
The driver of the Cherry Tiggo involved in the collision stated that the boy emerged suddenly from behind the parked vehicle, resulting in the accident.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) dispatched assistance to the scene at 14:13. The injured child was then transported privately to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (MGMH) for medical treatment.
The boy is receiving care at the hospital following the incident.
