Two City of Ekurhuleni employees were arrested during a sting operation on Tuesday for allegedly stealing diesel from the municipality and selling it to a privately owned bus service in Brakpan.

One of the employees was arrested at an agricultural holding in the Tsakani area while he was allegedly off-loading stolen diesel at the bus company. His colleague was arrested at the council-owned depot in Springs.

The bus company owner and two of his employees were also arrested at the bus depot.

While the value of the stolen diesel is not yet quantified, preliminary investigations revealed the workers had been stealing diesel for months.

According to Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) chief of police Isaac Mapiyeye, the employees’ modus operandi had been monitored for a while before officers pounced on them.

He said the employees were watched while, on several occasions, allegedly filling up the municipal trucks with diesel from the municipal depots and later travelling to the bus depot in question to sell their loot.

“They would then return the vehicles empty and refill the following 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 (EMPD) have worked tirelessly to nail those involved,” said Mapiyeye.

“The arrests followed an ongoing intelligence-driven operation that included surveillance of the city’s vehicles, mainly trucks.

“Although it remains unclear how much diesel was stolen through this illegal operation, the city is reconciling its figures to determine the amount of the loss suffered by the municipality.

“Foul play was suspected because of the regular rate at which some of our vehicles were refilling fuel.”

Mapiyeye pointed out that the bus company involved works for the Gauteng government by transporting learners.

The municipal police commissioner confirmed that more arrests are imminent as the investigation continues.

“We will not rest until all those involved in such illicit acts are behind bars.

“This is public money which the city desperately needs to provide quality and sustainable services to the community of Ekurhuleni,” said Mapiyeye.

The joint sting operation included members of the EMPD and SAPS’s National Crime Intelligence and Multi-Dimensional Organised Crime units. Also involved were various security companies, including Nazaf Security, Bravolor Protection, Armani Protection Services, Kaligon and Black Lion Protection.

Mapiyeye applauded the teams involved in the operation, including the whistle-blowers.

Earlier in the year, a contractor was arrested in Brakpan for allegedly stealing diesel from a truck he had been fixing.

The city encourages the public to continue reporting such incidents to law enforcement agencies so the culprits can face the consequences of their actions.

Anyone with information on criminal activities can report such on the SAPS Crime Stop hotline on 10111 or the City of Ekurhuleni fraud hotline on 0800 102 201.