FIVE Zimbabweans have been named among the 19 people shot dead in South Africa on Friday during a raid on suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) heist suspects, according to a list released yesterday.
The Zimbabweans identified at Tshilidzini Government Hospital are Khulekani Sibanda (42), Frank Moyo (43), Alexander Myambi (24), Simbarashe Malvin Machingauta (37 ), and Juliet Mugabe (27).
Machingauta is from Beitbridge's Dulivhadzimu high-density suburb, and is believed to be the owner of the property raided by police.
Police also identified other victims of the shootout in which a policeman lost a leg in a 90-minute standoff with the robbers.
The rest of the robbers are said to be South African, although two are still to be identified.
Specialised South African Police Unit Hawks spokesperson, Matimba Maluleke, on Friday said the raid was an intelligence-driven project initiated in January in response to the spate of cash-in-transit robberies in Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces.
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He said those killed were believed to be planning a heist in the Makhado area. “The suspects were about to leave the house to execute their mission when they realised that they were being monitored, and they started shooting at the team,” he said.
A Hawks officer, who was injured during the shootout, was rushed to hospital.
It is understood 11 firearms, ammunition, primed explosives, detonators, boosters, lead cords and raw explosives were recovered at the house.
Police have, however, been mum on the information that two domestic workers, believed to be Zimbabweans, were also killed in the raid.