A security guard was shot and wounded during a cash-in-transit  robbery in KwaMashu, north of Durban, on Monday. 

Police spokesperson Brig Vish Naidoo said the incident occurred about 7.45am near the Thembalihle train station. 

"It was a cross-pavement robbery in which three perpetrators pointed firearms at one of the guards. He resisted and was shot in the leg."

It is understood two additional suspects pointed a firearm at another guard, disarmed him and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. One was believed to be wearing municipal overall pants.

The robbers are believed to have fled in a white Toyota Corolla. 

In a separate incident, a security guard was airlifted to hospital after being shot in the chest in Tongaat, north of Durban. 

IPPS's Paul Herbst said the man was in a critical condition. 

"It appears an unknown number of suspects entered an industrial area where they disarmed a security guard before he was shot in the chest.

"He was stabilised on the scene and airlifted to hospital," said Herbst.