Two municipal workers arrested for stealing diesel
The municipal police commissioner confirmed more arrests were imminent as the investigation continues.
In a sting operation, two municipal employees were arrested for stealing state diesel at an agricultural holding in Tsakani on Tuesday.
The officials were arrested in a joint operation conducted by the EMPD, SAPS National Crime Intelligence, Multi-Dimensional Organised Crime (MDOC) unit, and various stakeholders such as Nazaf Security, Bravolor Protection, Armani Protection Services, Kaligon and Black Lion Protection.
EMPD spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said they arrested the first suspect when he came in to off-load diesel and the rest were nabbed at the Springs Depot.
“Also arrested were the owner of the bus fleet and two of his employees in the facility where they off-loaded the diesel.
“The arrests followed an ongoing intelligence-driven operation that has been surveilling the city’s vehicles, mainly trucks, spotted on several instances off-loading diesel at the facility, which is a private bus depot.
“Following weeks of investigations, the private security operators working under supervision with the MDOC finally pounced on the suspects on Tuesday afternoon.
“Although it remains unclear how much diesel they had been stealing through this illegal operation, the city is busy reconciling its figures to determine the amount of the loss suffered,” she said.
EMPD chief of police Jabulani Mapiyeye Isaac Jabulani Mapiyeye said the modus operandi was that the trucks would fill up at the municipal depots each morning only to off-load the fuel at the private facility and get paid for this.
“They would then return the vehicles empty and refill the next morning and do the same thing again.
“This seems to have been a well-orchestrated operation that ran for months, and the police working with the fleet management team of the city have been working tirelessly to nail those involved,” he said.
Mapiyeye added foul play has always been suspected because of the rate at which some of our vehicles were refilling fuel regularly. Unfortunately for the criminal elements, their luck finally ran out.
The municipal police commissioner confirmed more arrests were imminent as the investigation continues.
Preliminary investigation has revealed the suspected owner is not only benefitting from the state through transporting school children under the Gauteng Provincial Government but is allegedly involved in this illicit activity.
“We will not rest until all those involved in these illicit acts are behind bars. This is public money and money that we desperately need to provide quality and sustainable services to the community of Ekurhuleni,” he added.
