The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) says a police officer did not die after the shoot-out with a suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) heist gang in Rosettenville, Johannesburg on Monday.

The police watchdog also retracted information issued previously that two officers were among the suspects on the run after fleeing the scene.

“No officers are accused of being involved with criminals,” said Ipid.

It said the information was corrected in a preliminary report into allegations made after Monday’s dramatic confrontation.

“There was confusion between injured police and criminals who died. This created distorted information because some police officers were not wearing uniforms and were confused with criminals.”

Four officers were wounded during the shoot-out and are receiving treatment in hospital, the police service said. They are an airborne law enforcement officer, two members from the Moffatview police station and a Johannesburg metro police department officer.

TimesLIVE