ON the night of Thursday, 6 February, officers from the Provincial Non-Ferrous Task Team received intelligence of stolen Transnet infrastructure at a scrap yard on South Coast Road in Maydon Wharf. The team immediately sprang into action and began investigations into the source of the stolen metal.
According to provincial spokesperson, Brig Jay Naicker, the team followed up on leads regarding stolen railway tracks and railway sleepers.
“On Friday morning the team was joined by officials from Transnet, PRASA and Telkom. They proceeded to the identified bulk metal scrapyard and discovered tons of railway lines and railway sleepers on the site. The items were positively identified by a representative of Transnet as belonging to them,” he said.
Naicker said when staff at the premises were questioned about the property, they produced documentation which indicated that the items were authorised for sale by PRASA. The letter was sent to the PRASA headoffice for verification and was confirmed fraudulent. A total of 181 tons of Transnet infrastructure was seized by police. The items have an estimated value of R8 million.
Naicker said further investigations led police to the owners of a scrap yard in Greytown where it was discovered that the railway lines were removed from Greytown and two suspects were arrested. They will appear in the Greytown Magistrates Court tomorrow for tampering with essential infrastructure,” said Naicker.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Khombinkosi Jula applauded the team for the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of the stolen property. “The theft of railway lines is of great concern as it has serious implications for our transport infrastructure. The task team must be commended for the recent arrests across the province where thieves have been nabbed for stealing electricity cables and other essential infrastructure,” he said.
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