Police entered the building through the basement where they used a stairwell to reach Theron and ushered him out of the building. After a nearly six-hour stand-off, police decided it was time to make a move that would bring the situation to a close. Police Commissioner-General Mike Geldenhuys ordered the area around the bank be cleared of unnecessary personnel — including a crowd of people that had gathered to watch the siege in real-time — a tacit admission that something was about to happen. Further hammering this home was that ambulances were an exception to this order and moved closer to the scene, according to South African History Online.
A little after 7:00 that evening, the first gunshots were reported, but to this day it remains unclear whether Stephen Mafoko fired the first shot or if the first shot came from a police-issued weapon. Mafoko’s fellow MK cadres Humphrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela were killed soon after the shooting began, however, Mofoko continued returning fire. During the gunfire exchange, Mafoko threw a grenade, which was picked up by one of the hostages who tried to throw it away. However, it exploded and injured some hostages. Mafoko was then killed by a police bullet as well, at which point the Silverton Siege was over, with two hostages and all three MK members dead.
