‘Cash heists won’t end because of colluding cops,’ says victim

By
TimesLIVE
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While police may claim they are winning the war on cash-in-transit heists‚ a security guard who almost lost his life in a heist earlier this year said they could do even more.

Cash-in-transit heist in Hillbrow. File photo.
Image: Masi Losi

“I don’t think [they have won] because I think many police are working hand-in-hand with these criminals by feeding them information‚ so it won’t end‚” said *Thuso Hlongwane‚ who is employed by one of the large security cash transporting companies.

Police Minister Bheki Cele earlier this year deployed more manpower towards curbing heists‚ but Hlongwane said the focus would soon change to something else.

“This is because people are still talking about it now but it won’t always be like this‚” he added.

Hlongwane has been in the cash transportation business for 12 years but after he found himself being a victim of an attack earlier this year‚ he is now considering a career change.

“I loved the job. I worked with a passion with no fear until ‘that thing’ happened‚” he said.

Hlongwane and a colleague were in Rustenburg in the North West when they found themselves in the middle of what could have been a deadly attack.

“They [the attackers] were driving a Q5 or Q3 when they overtook us. As they passed‚ they started shooting at us. They pulled us out of the vehicle‚ took us a few metres from the van and they blew it up. They took the money and ran away‚” said Hlongwane.

During that attack‚ both he and his colleague were shot in the hands and legs.

“I haven’t returned to work since then. My hand is now balanced by plates and screws. I don’t know how I will work again because I have a problem with my hand‚” he said.

Hlongwane said theirs was a thankless job where one could easily be replaced. He hit out at his bosses.

“All that these companies care about is money. Even now‚ they are working on bettering their vans to protect the money‚ not the people who risk their lives transporting it‚” he said.

Without proper action from the police and better precautionary measures from employees‚ lives would continue to be lost in heists‚ he said.

BY NALEDI SHANGE – TimesLIVE
Source: TMG Digital

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