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Durban - A gang of ATM bombers struck another pension payout point in Umlazi in the early hours of Tuesday morning before trading gunfire with police.
It is understood that the gang, armed with automatic weapons including R5s and AK47s, broke into a Boxer Super Store in V-Section in Umlazi.
This follows a string of attacks on South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) cash-dispensing machines, particularly those situated in Boxer Stores.
According to a well-placed police source, who could not be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, a group of men broke into the retailer and laid explosives on a Sassa and Standard Bank ATM before detonating the charges.
As the dust settled, the crew of men gathered heaps of cash.
Responding police came under fire from the gang as they rushed to a report of the robbery in progress.
Police spokesperson Colonel Jay Naicker said officers were hot on the heels of the five-member gang.
"Umlazi police members responded to the burglary in progress and, on their arrival, the suspects opened fire at police. The police returned fire and during the gun battle the suspects managed to flee with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was wounded during the shooting," Naicker added.
This shooting is also the latest in a string of gun battles involving robbers and police, which have claimed the lives of four officers this week.
