Police secured the scene after the robbery, closing the N3 in both directions as forensic teams and investigators began examining evidence. 

Authorities said the suspects fled before officers arrived and remained at large by Saturday evening. Traffic was diverted from the affected section of the freeway, with motorists urged to use alternative routes as emergency services responded to the incident.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Thenjiswa Ngcobo said officers were searching for the group believed to have carried out the coordinated attack. "Police in KwaZulu-Natal are on the lookout for 13 suspects following a cash-in-transit robbery on the N3 westbound near the Sherwood off-ramp. It is reported that the suspects accosted a cash-in-transit vehicle and robbed the security guards of their firearms before stealing an undisclosed amount of money,” Ngcobo said.

Emergency responders reported multiple casualties requiring medical attention after the vehicle was bombed. Garrieth Jamieson, spokesperson for ALS Paramedics, said crews arrived shortly before 17:00 to find the cash vehicle engulfed in flames on the Sherwood bridge. "Our members are attending to two guards and a couple of bystanders,” Jamieson said, adding that firefighters were called to extinguish the blaze before investigators could fully assess the scene.

Police confirmed that two security guards sustained injuries and were receiving treatment. A police officer who responded to the incident also received medical care before being transported to hospital. Authorities described the guards' injuries as minor but said assessments were continuing.

Journalists from Diplomat News Network observed a heavy security presence around the cordoned-off section of the freeway, where police vehicles, Metro Police officers, private security personnel, and emergency medical teams worked alongside investigators. Long queues of stranded vehicles formed in both directions as traffic officials redirected motorists away from the closure.

Cash-in-transit robberies remain a significant security challenge in South Africa, where criminal groups frequently target armored vehicles using explosives and heavily armed tactics. Such attacks often disrupt major transport routes and require coordinated responses from police, emergency services, and forensic specialists.

Investigators are expected to review forensic evidence, surveillance footage, and witness statements as efforts continue to identify and apprehend those responsible. Police have appealed to members of the public with information about the robbery or the suspects' movements to come forward, emphasizing that the investigation remains active and that no arrests had been announced by Saturday evening.