A police source at O.R. Tambo Airport told AFP that the heist occurred around 7pm (1700 GMT) when the robbers, masquerading as police, drove into a restricted zone and headed straight to cash-laden containers unloaded from a cargo plane.

“They told the security that they were carrying out an investigation and the security (guards) opened the boom gate for them,” said the source. 

Local media said the haul was foreign currency valued at more than 20 million rand ($1.5 million).

The company that operates the airport, South Africa’s largest, confirmed in a statement that an armed robbery had taken place.

Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the elite police unit the Hawks, also confirmed the “robbery” but refused to divulge details “pending investigations.” DM