SHOPPERS had to duck for cover when thugs suddenly stormed shops in KwaMashu Shopping Centre in KZN.
The heavily armed thugs stormed into Spar and Tops at Spar on Saturday, 23 July.
They then locked the doors so that nobody could enter or leave while they were inside.
Eight of the suspects were inside the shops, while others stood outside the centre’s main entrance.
Those who were outside saw a cop van driving into the centre and opened fire, injuring two cops.
Those who were inside ransacked all the tills and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
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A shopper, Mlungisi Khumalo (34), told Daily Sun he was shocked when he saw the thugs armed with big guns entering the shops.
“I dropped my groceries and ducked for cover before they could even start shooting because I thought they were there to just shoot and take money,” he said.
A worker said he was on his way out as his shift was over.
He said when he was at the door, the thugs came and pointed a gun at him.
They told him to lie down or he would get shot.
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“I did as I was told. I was so scared I almost wet my trousers. They took money and escaped,” said the worker.
Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo confirmed that cases of attempted murder and robbery were being investigated by KwaMashu police.
Ngcobo said it’s alleged that eight men armed with rifles and pistols entered the business premises and demanded cash before they fled.
“Police, who were responding to the robbery, were shot at by the suspects who fled in a minibus,” said Ngcobo.