Attack in Lowveld plantation puts the spotlight on chainsaw thefts
Over the past three years, timber companies in the Lowveld have lost about 1 500 chainsaws during armed robberies. Recently, a forestry manager was shot at and robbed, and is still in hospital with a bullet lodged against the vertebrae in his neck.
They won’t hesitate to beat their victims to a pulp, or shoot and wound them. Or even kill them.
All that with the sole purpose of laying their hands on a R10 000 chainsaw, which is then sold on the black market for as little as R1 500.
This is the ruthless way armed gangs are terrorising and waging a war on workers involved in the timber industry in the Lowveld.
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An attack on Jozua Joubert (27), an employee of Delmac Harvesting in Sabie, who was seriously wounded when he was shot at by four armed robbers on June 14, flung the crisis of chainsaw theft into the spotlight. Joubert is still in hospital with a bullet lodged close to one of his neck vertebrae.
According to reliable sources within the timber companies’ security departments, these attacks and robberies are executed by a well-organised syndicate.
Over the past three years, timber companies in the Lowveld lost about 1 500 chainsaws during these armed robberies.
The estimated value of the stolen implements is between R15m and R18m. On average, 50 chainsaws are stolen every month, said Francois Oberholzer, Forestry South Africa’s director of operations.
Gangs of between four and six robbers armed to the teeth with, among others, pistols and AK-47 assault rifles, are usually involved in these attacks.
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Oberholzer says they believe these robberies are committed is the same syndicate, as the modus operandi in all these incidents is the same.
Video footage seen by Lowvelder, recorded by security cameras, shows how members of a balaclava-clad gang are carrying R1 and R5 automatic rifles. R1s are weapons used earlier by the defence force, and R4s and R5s are currently the weapons of choice in the SANDF’s military police divisions.
Oberholzer says timber companies are fighting a losing battle, as they get no support from the police or the Hawks.
This, even though evidence is handed over to them.
“We as an industry are frustrated with the lack of co-operation from the law enforcement agencies.
“They get reliable information from our informants and evidence our members collect themselves, but no action is taken,” he said.
Three years ago, Oberholzer, who is part of the National Priority Committee: Extortion and Violence at Economic Sites, said he had brought the crisis in the Lowveld to the attention of the body. “We also wrote numerous letters to law enforcement agencies, but neither assistance nor support was forthcoming.”
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The local timber industry held meetings with the police from station level, via the cluster command, up to the provincial headquarters and even to Wachthuis, the SAPS HQ in Pretoria, with no positive results.
Recently, the Lowveld Timber Theft Forum eventually managed to get a high-level meeting with the police’s top cops in Mpumalanga.
The meeting was held at York Timbers in Sabie, and was attended by the provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, and a group of about 10 brigadiers.
“We sketched the glooming picture to them, again handing over a list of complaints and giving them files of evidence. No follow-ups or proper investigations are being done.
“On many of these crime scenes, there is useful evidence, such as bullets, empty cartridges and clear footprints and boot prints. These prints should be lifted by forensic experts,” says Oberholzer.
“We are now trying to arrange a quarterly meeting with the provincial head of detective services, Brigadier PB Mahlangu.”
Colonel Donald Mdhluli, a provincial police spokesperson, confirmed this week that a number of cases involving chainsaw theft had been reported to them.
“Most of these cases had been reported to the police in Sabie.”
On a question from Lowvelder about why the investigations were dragging on, he said he was waiting for feedback from the various stations on the progress made.
