Brazen Ambush: Armed Thugs Kidnap Guards in Coordinated Attack on Merafong Power Station

In a meticulously coordinated late-night assault, a group of armed men stormed a critical power substation in Welverdiend, Carletonville, executing a brazen operation that ended in kidnapping and gunfire. The incident, which has triggered a major police investigation, unfolded at the Merafong City Local Municipality’s electrical substation on the evening of January 14.

According to reports, the attack began when a supervisor from Siqobile Security arrived for a routine check at 10:15 PM. As he entered the site, he spotted several unidentified men fleeing the facility. When he attempted to approach, the suspects opened fire, forcing the supervisor to retreat swiftly. He drove directly to the Carletonville Police Station to raise the alarm.

A Deserted Scene and Missing Guards

When police accompanied the supervisor back to the substation, they found the site deserted. Alarmingly, the two security guards assigned to the post were missing. Nothing appeared to have been stolen from the facility itself, deepening the mystery around the assailants’ motives.

The guards later returned, recounting a harrowing ordeal. They reported being overpowered, tied up, and kidnapped by the armed gang. The suspects marched them to a nearby open field, where they were held while the attackers apparently lay in wait, possibly for the supervisor to leave. During the kidnapping, the thugs robbed the guards of their mobile phones and torches. Fortunately, neither guard sustained physical injuries.

A Targeted, Unexplained Assault

The precise motive remains unclear. The fact that nothing was stolen from the substation, beyond the guards’ personal items, suggests the attack may have been intended as an intimidation tactic, a test of security protocols, or a prelude to a larger planned operation that was aborted.

Carletonville police have opened a serious multi-faceted investigation, pursuing charges of attempted murder, armed robbery, and kidnapping. The brazen nature of the assaulttargeting essential municipal infrastructure and involving the abduction of security personnelpoints to a dangerous level of planning and audacity by the perpetrators. For the community, the incident is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in even the most critical of public facilities.

{Source: Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com