FILE: HILLBROW, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 21: Forensic investigation officers at the crime scene of a cash-in-transit robbery where one police officer was shot dead, while two guards and two bystanders were wounded on June 21, 2018 in Hillbrow, South Africa. According to a police statement, several unknown suspects attacked and fired shots at a parked cash-in-transit vehicle and fled the scene, taking an undisclosed amount of money. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Masi Losi)
Hawks zero in on cash heist mastermind
The Hawks are set to swoop on cash-in-transit heist mastermind, Wellington “Bibi” Cenenda, suspected of at least 23 cash heists, in Gauteng, the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
FILE: HILLBROW, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 21: Forensic investigation officers at the crime scene of a cash-in-transit robbery where one police officer was shot dead, while two guards and two bystanders were wounded on June 21, 2018 in Hillbrow, South Africa. According to a police statement, several unknown suspects attacked and fired shots at a parked cash-in-transit vehicle and fled the scene, taking an undisclosed amount of money. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Masi Losi)
The criminal scourge which has plagued cash-in-transit (CIT) operators in record high numbers, is now facing the full might of the law, with the South African specialised policing unit, Hawks, claiming to be on the verge of a breakthrough.
It’s the age-old tale of cops and robbers. The bad guys, in this case, are ruthless cash-in-transit raiders; highwaymen, cold and calculated, preying on transported currency.
Since January 2018, 178 heists have been committed, leading to the deaths of 17 people, and leaving 93 seriously injured.
Read: Metro cop arrested for involvement in cash-in-transit heists
Up until now, it’s a war the criminals have been winning. Private security operators are outnumbered and outgunned. Local policing units have had minimal success in preventing further attacks.
Police Minister Bheki Cele fits the part of a no-nonsense sheriff, donning infamous headwear, and threatening criminals with ‘surrender or death’.
Speaking to The Citizen earlier this year, Cele responded to the challenge set by criminals:
“We are taking every [officer] out of the barracks, especially the specialised unit and giving them the best equipment. Cash heist is terrorism. It’s not only a heist. No one will stage a heist, kill police and go home. No one will be able to do that.”
According to a report by Times Live, the Hawks are set to swoop on the ringleader, thought to be responsible for at least 23 heists.
The cash-in-transit ring unravels
At the top of law enforcement’s agenda is a man named Wellington “Bibi” Cenenda. The 38-year-old from Tembisa is in Cele’s crosshairs. It’s alleged that Bibi and his gang have accumulated R46-million, through killing security operators, bombing vans and looting cash.
The net is closing in on Cenenda – most of his closest lieutenants have been apprehended in the past 10 days.
Gauteng Hawks boss, Major-General Prince Mokotedi, had this to say:
“We catch him and we end it all.”
A list of sordid characters
Mokotedi has praised the persistent detective work which has led to many arrests. Thorough investigations include tireless hours of cataloguing prisoners recently released for similar crimes and continuous cellphone tracking.
Mokotedi said:
“We have the who’s who of masterminds here.”
The detained masterminds he’s referring to include Sello “The Teacher” Senyatsi, Thato “The Bomber” Gaopatwe, Tauyaborwa “Spikiri” Machika, Collen “Jabu” Mmamadi, Calvin “Boze” Molete, Paul “The Patriarch” Sibande, and Stanford “Madam” Dihangoane.
Mokotedi admits that it’s not been an easy task, tracking down the elusive criminals, especially undocumented foreigners, saying:
“It’s been a massive task, especially in identifying the foreigners involved such as those from Botswana [Gaopatwe and Molete], who are the explosives experts, and the Zimbabwean [Sibande].”
While the Hawks seem confident that a final breakthrough is imminent, Fidelity CEO, Wahl Bartmann, seems less optimistic.
Although Bartmann welcomes the arrests, he fears criminal syndicates will simply move and develop in other areas of the country, saying:
“This week one of our vans was bombed in Tugela in KwaZulu-Natal. We are worried that these latest arrests will simply displace these suspects. We just hope that the police in other provinces are prepared.”
