THE Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) conducted Operation Buya Mthetho along the M2 freeway near Jeppe in the evening of Tuesday, 21 June.
A suspicious vehicle was stopped during the operation.
The City of Joburg public safety ambassador, Wayne Minnaar, said the suspects in the vehicle suddenly opened fire at the police.
He said: “Officers returned fire and five suspects managed to escape. However, officers apprehended one armed suspect who was wearing a private security uniform.”
Minnaar said the apprehended suspect told the police that he was also being shot at by the suspects who fled the scene.
“Officers discovered that the suspects were in the process of making an illegal connection from a mini substation on the side of the freeway.
“Officers removed illegal cables and a knife used to make the connection,” said Minnaar.
A case of attempted murder and illegal electrical connection was opened at Jeppe Police Station.
