An armed gang of about 15 men allegedly ambushed and bombed a cash-in-transit van on the R114 near Krugersdorp on Monday night.

National police spokesperson Col Brenda Muridili said the cash van was travelling from Fourways in Johannesburg towards Krugersdorp when it was tailed by a white Ford Ranger bakkie.

The suspects in the bakkie allegedly opened fire on the van, attempting to force it off the road, but the security guards returned fire.

Muridili said a second white Ford Ranger bakkie and a silver BMW X5 joined the chase and fired shots at the cash van’s rear tyres, bringing it to a halt.

The security guards were forced out of the vehicle. “The crew was disarmed and instructed to go and lie down with the driver in the veld. A suspect with a balaclava placed explosives in the rear of the armoured vehicle and detonated it.”

They loaded money into the X5 and one of the bakkies, and escaped.

Muridili said the second bakkie was set alight about 1km from the scene.

The driver of the cash van sustained an injury to his right hand. A Fiat Uno was also hit by bullets during the shoot-out.