WC ANC commends police for preventing CIT robbery in Khayelitsha

CAPE TOWN - The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape has commended the police for preventing a cash-in-transit robbery in Khayelitsha.

Eight would-be robbers were killed in a shootout with police in town on Monday night.

Police said a team deployed to the township was met with gunfire from the group, and retaliated.

Five other suspects were arrested, and two are under police guard in hospital after they were injured in the shootout.

ANC police oversight and community safety spokesperson in the Western Cape, Benson Ngqentsu: "The ANC in the province has consistently called for the enhancement of SAPS [South African Police Service] intelligence capacity, therefore the SAPS should build on this as it demonstrates that intelligence driven operations are crucial in combatting rampant crime in our provinces."

Ngqentsu called on the police to continue clamping down on gang and extortion related crimes in the Western Cape.

"The incident serves as a clear message to criminal elements that SAPS maintain a zero tolerance stance towards crime."