Cash-in-transit heists | Lesufi calls for a cashless economy

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is calling for a cashless economy in the province. 

This as South Africa sees a spike in cash-in-transit heists.

Two-hundred-and-49 robberies have been recorded since January.

Just this weekend, the N12 in Johannesburg was closed off following a robbery where a cash van was blown up.

"If you’ve got less cash, there won’t be ATM bombings - if you have less cash you are not going to have this cash in transit bombings – if you have less cash you’re not going to have business robberies. If you have less cash people are not going to be attacked in their houses or kidnaped because we now are seeing a new trend, where people rare kidnaped and large amounts of monies are being asked by these criminals," says Lesufi

"We really believe in the migrating to a cashless society - is the future we never thought that we’d live an era where a cheque book is now history - today all banks have issued a communique that they no longer take a cheque," he says.