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Stuff from Johannesburg

Cash-in-transit heist suspects shot dead

Four suspects have been shot dead and two rifles and a pistol have been recovered by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) following a foiled cross-pavement robbery at a filling station in the Bram Fischer area in Soweto.

Yesterday afternoon, an intelligence-driven multidisciplinary team consisting of members from Crime Intelligence and the National Intervention Unit responded to information received of a planned attack on a cash van.

The team of SAPS members noticed two suspicious looking vehicles following the cash-in-transit vehicle into the filling station where security officials were to perform their daily duties of collecting money from the ATM.

Upon noticing the SAPS members, the two vehicles with a group of armed robbers made an about turn resulting in a high-speed chase.

Hot on their heels, the team followed the vehicles to an identified address in the area where a shootout ensued.

Four suspects were shot dead while other suspects fled the scene.

The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Khehla Sitole, has hailed the vigilance of the joint team.

“The vigilance of this team ought to be commended for executing our mandate as the SAPS without fear or favour.

“This incident should send a stern warning to everyone involved in all forms of crime, especially violent crimes, to steer clear of breaking the law.

“We are hoping to apprehend the remaining suspects who managed to flee the scene with the implementation of the 72-hour activation plan to mobilise all resources,” Sitole said.

The possibility of linking these suspects to a spate of violent crimes, including the recent cash-in-transit heists in and around Gauteng cannot be ruled out. – SAnews.gov.za

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Africa’s Economic Heartbeat and the JSE

Johannesburg is the undisputed financial capital of the African continent. It is classified as an “Alpha Global City,” meaning it plays a primary role in the global economic network. The city generates roughly 16% of South Africa’s GDP and is the headquarters for 74% of the major multinational companies operating in Sub-Saharan Africa.

At the center of this economic power is the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Founded in 1887, just one year after the city’s birth, the JSE was initially a way to raise capital for deep-level mining. Today, it is the largest stock exchange in Africa and ranks among the top 20 in the world by market capitalization. The financial district has moved from the historic city center to Sandton, an area often called “Africa’s Richest Square Mile.” This shift reflects Johannesburg’s evolution from a rough-and-tumble mining camp into a sophisticated service-and-finance economy. Despite the decline in actual mining, the city remains the “command and control” center for the continent’s mineral wealth, telecommunications, and banking sectors.