A major cash-in-transit heist brought traffic to a standstill on the M25 KwaMashu Highway after heavily armed robbers attacked and bombed an armoured cash van near Duffs Road on Friday evening.
The attack happened shortly after 5pm on August 28, 2026, in the vicinity of the Duffs Road Bridge and the KwaMashu Crossroads interchange in KwaZulu-Natal. The cash vehicle was travelling from KwaMashu towards Duffs Road when it was intercepted by a group of armed suspects.
The robbery unfolded along one of the area’s busiest routes. Initial information indicated that gunfire erupted near the KwaMashu off-ramp before continuing along the M25 as the cash vehicle was forced to stop shortly before the Duffs Road off-ramp. The van was then immobilised and blasted open with explosives.
The suspects removed an undisclosed amount of valuables from the damaged vehicle before escaping from the scene. A white Toyota Cross was identified as one of the vehicles reportedly linked to the attackers, although the vehicle used to make the final getaway was not confirmed.
The force of the explosion left the cash van severely damaged. By the time emergency teams arrived, the armoured vehicle had already been blown up, leaving investigators with a large and sensitive crime scene across the highway.
Two security guards were inside the cash van during the attack. Both were assessed after the explosion and were found to be physically unharmed. They were, however, left severely traumatised by the gunfire, the explosives and the violent assault on the vehicle.
“We found that one cash-in-transit van had been blown up before arrival and there were two guards in the van,” said Massimo Galassi of ALS Paramedics. He said both guards were assessed and found uninjured.
Emergency medical teams attended the scene to check those involved and provide assistance where necessary. KZN VIP Emergency Medical teams were also called out, while KZN VIP Security members helped secure the area until additional police, municipal and private security resources arrived.
The response involved several South African Police Service units, Metro Police, private security personnel and emergency service providers. Officers worked to preserve the scene and prevent people from walking or driving through areas where evidence could have been disturbed.
The M25 was closed while police carried out their investigation. Traffic was diverted away from the affected section, and motorists were warned to avoid the highway near Duffs Road and the KwaMashu Crossroads. The closure caused disruption for motorists who use the route between KwaMashu, Duffs Road and nearby northern Durban suburbs.
As police and security teams moved in, members of the public gathered near the scene. Videos circulated online showing crowds converging on the highway after the explosion. The presence of bystanders added to the pressure on officers, who had to keep people away from the damaged van and the surrounding roadway while the investigation continued.
The scene was also marked by scattered debris, damaged road surfaces and the remains of the cash vehicle. Investigators faced the task of examining the van, the road and the surrounding area for cartridge cases, explosive material, vehicle parts and other evidence that could help identify the attackers and establish how they planned the robbery.
Police launched a manhunt for the suspects after they fled. At the time of the initial response, no arrests had been announced and the amount of money or valuables taken had not been made public. The suspects’ direction of travel was also not confirmed, leaving police to trace the vehicles and gather information from witnesses, surveillance footage and other sources.
The attack reflects the danger faced by security crews transporting cash on South African roads. Cash-in-transit vehicles are routinely targeted by organised groups using firearms and explosives, with attackers often attempting to stop the vehicle in a place where they can work quickly before escaping in waiting cars.
For motorists, the incident created an immediate danger well beyond the targeted vehicle. Gunfire on the highway forced drivers to slow down or turn away, while the explosion created a risk from flying debris and damaged parts of the armoured van. The subsequent road closure was necessary as officers secured the site and emergency teams dealt with the aftermath.
Residents and road users in KwaMashu were urged to stay away from the active crime scene and allow emergency workers and investigators to operate without interference. The M25 remained under police control as the search for those responsible continued.
The investigation is expected to focus on the movements of the cash van before it reached Duffs Road, the number of attackers involved, the weapons used during the assault and the explosives that destroyed the vehicle. Police will also examine the reported white Toyota Cross and any other vehicles that may have assisted the group.
The security guards’ survival without physical injury brought some relief after an attack involving heavy gunfire and a powerful blast. Their accounts may help investigators reconstruct the moments leading up to the ambush, while evidence collected from the highway could assist in tracing the robbers and the vehicles used in their escape.
For now, the suspects remain at large and the value of the stolen money has not been disclosed. What is clear is that the attack was carefully timed, violently executed and carried out on a major public road, leaving a destroyed cash van, a disrupted highway and a large-scale police operation in its wake.
