-Staff Writer / Tue, 16 Dec 2025
The North West police have nabbed two gun wielding men accused of attacking and robbing a traffic official. The dou was was arrested following an incident captured in a viral video that shows a traffic officer being attacked along the R503 road between Klerksdorp and Hartbeesfontein.
Police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh said the incident unfolded on Monday afternoon, 15 December 2025, shortly after an alleged armed robbery had taken place in the area.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, aged 44 and 26, were apprehended by members of the public after an alleged armed robbery and later sought refuge in a traffic officer’s vehicle while being pursued,” Myburgh said.
According to police, the traffic officer, who was on routine patrol duties, was stopped by community members. As the suspects ran for cover inside the traffic vehicle, they were allegedly assaulted by their pursuers. The officer immediately alerted police, who responded swiftly to the scene, prompting the community members involved to flee.
The two suspects sustained serious injuries during the assault and were transported to hospital, where they remain under police guard. A firearm and ammunition, believed to have been used in the commission of the alleged robbery, were handed over to the traffic officer and have since been seized as evidence.
The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, together with Acting Provincial Police Commissioner Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, expressed serious concern about the incident and the violence depicted in the circulating video.
The suspects will appear in the Klerksdorp Magistrates’ Court on charges of armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition once discharged from hospital. The 26-year-old suspect will also face an additional charge for contravening Section 49 of the Immigration Act.
Police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the assault shown in the video. Authorities have urged members of the public to refrain from vigilantism and to allow law enforcement to carry out investigations without interference.
Morweng and Naidoo strongly condemned acts of violence, warning that while community cooperation in reporting crime is vital, the arrest and prosecution of suspects remain the responsibility of law enforcement and the justice system.
News Junction (Gold Standard)