Is there a target on Transnet pipelines?
Destroying or tampering with infrastructure is a serious offence and can lead up to criminal charges
Three suspects appeared in Witbank Magistrate’s Court earlier this week for the alleged possession of suspected stolen diesel.
The diesel was allegedly stolen from Transnet pipelines in Mpumalanga as well as in the Free State.
The arrest was made after a multidisciplinary intelligence-driven operation by SAPS Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Tactical Response Team, Mpumalanga provincial detectives, SAPS Crime Intelligence, Fidelity Security, Transnet, Provincial Operation Command Centre and the SAPS Local Criminal Record Centre in eMalahleni.
The team proceeded to the suspect’s address and found two trucks full of diesel worth an estimated R1.4 million and a generator.
Further investigation also revealed an empty fuel tanker as well as several diesel laden containers.
Investigation continues and more arrest cannot be ruled out.
The previous week, on Friday, July 24 an incident was also reported where a Transnet pipeline was damaged.
An official received a call late at night from his colleagues informing him that three suspicious people were standing next to a pipeline in Kwa-Guqa.
The official responded and before he could reach the point he was called to, he saw lights of a bakkie disappearing into a distance.
He then followed a drop pin that led him to infrastructural damages to an estimated value of R500 000 on the pipeline site belonging to Transnet.
No arrests were made up to this point regarding this incident.
Destroying or tampering with infrastructure is a serious offence and can lead up to criminal charges.
An offence relating to essential infrastructure states: Any person who unlawfully and intentionally (a) tampers with, damages or destroys essential infrastructure; or (b) colludes with or assists another person in the commission, performance or carrying out of an activity referred to in paragraph (a), and who knows or ought reasonably to have known or suspected that it is essential infrastructure, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a period of imprisonment not exceeding 30 years or, in the case of a corporate body as contemplated in section 332(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, a fine not exceeding R100 million.
