CAPE TOWN, May 1 (ANA) – Ten hostages have been rescued from inside the Nyanga junction shopping centre following standoff between officers and robbers which lasted several hours, Western Cape police said on Monday.
The hostages were employees of the Shoprite store the robbers targeted.
“SAPS [SA Police Service] experts comprising [of] hostage negotiators, Task Force members, National Intervention Unit and Detectives descended on the premises early this morning following an attempted armed robbery. Several shots were heard inside the mall,” said police spokeswoman Noloyiso Rwexana.
She said a security guard was currently fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot when the robbers engaged in a shootout with the mall’s security personnel early on Monday morning. One of the suspected robbers was also left wounded.
Police later moved in, sending in specialised policing units.
“Of the 11 people taken out of the building, ten are said to be hostages employed by the retail store and one the suspect who was earlier injured. The suspect was treated on the scene and taken to hospital under police guard.”
Police were still combing the scene to search for other suspects, Rwexana said.
Deputy police minister Bongani Mkongi was expected to visit the scene on Monday night.
– African News Agency (ANA)
