Over the past 24 hours, in two separate incidents, two heist kingpins from the same gang have been fatally wounded after opening fire on police officials. Approximately a month ago, the Durban Organised Crime and Crime Intelligence units arrested six men, five undocumented Zimbabweans and a South African. These men were allegedly part of a major armed gang that travelled around the country robbing banks and casinos and committing cash-in-transit heists. Some of the venues that were robbed by the gang included the Sibiya Casino in KwaZulu-Natal in August 2010, where a patron was shot and wounded, as well as a robbery at a Bloemfontein casino in September 2010 where a policeman was shot and killed by the gang at a roadblock after the hold-up.
Investigators have been traveling between Johannesburg and Durban over the last month particularly looking for two leaders of the gang, a South African known as Velo Zondi (32) - dubbed "The Shooter" and a Zimbabwean known as Lindisizwe Mkhize (30), dubbed "The Hammer Man". Late on Wednesday night, 10 November 2010, the team was led to the N3, Johannesburg-bound highway just outside the De Hoek Toll Plaza where they laid in wait for Velo Zondi with the intention of arresting him. On trying to stop the BMW he was driving, a shoot-out ensued and Zondi was fatally wounded. A vector 9mm pistol was found in his possession with the serial number erased. Zondi is alleged have shot the patron during the Sibiya robbery as well as the police constable following the Windmill Casino robbery in Bloemfontein. He was someone who would not hesitate to shoot anybody, even without reason.
This morning the team went to a house at Durban Deep area of Soweto in search of Lindisizwe Mkhize. This suspect is alleged to have been one of the most notorious in the gang who was wanted for over forty (40) cases of armed robbery When Mkhize realised that his hideout was surrounded by police, he indiscriminately opened fire. A shootout ensued and Mkhize was shot dead. A 9mm Norico pistol was found in Mkhize's possession also with the serial number erased. The task team involved in this operation included members of the Durban Organised Crime Unit, Durban Crime Intelligence and the South African Police Service (SAPS) Johannesburg Operational Management Services.
The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Bheki Cele, has been kept informed of developments in this investigation and he has personally commended the members for their professional handling of the investigation. "I know these members have been working very hard and have on many occasions put their lives on the line to bring these ruthless thugs to book", said Cele. "We as the SAPS top management have warned that we will not tolerate armed gangs running amok in our country and we believe that the arrest and fatal shooting of these men will bring a campaign of violent crimes to an end," said General Cele.
Further arrests in connection with this gang's activities are likely.
The SAPS is cracking down on crime and criminals this festive season in "Operation duty calls" and violent crimes such as assets-in-transit heists, bank robberies and hijackings are being targeted.
Enquiries:
Colonel Vishnu Naidoo
Cell: 082 567 4153
Brigadier Sally de Beer
Cell: 082 779 8658
