Transnet fuel theft: Six suspects arrested after car chase and tanker catching fire

Six suspects were arrested on Saturday after a Transnet pipeline near Harrismith was tampered with.

Transnet Pipelines (TPL) said a joint operation, including police and security company Bidvest Protea Coin, was activated in Mpumalanga, Free State and Gauteng. It led to a car chase when the suspects’ vehicle was identified in Standerton, Mpumalanga.

Suspects arrested

Four suspects inside the vehicle were arrested.

Two petrol tankers near the crime scene in Harrismith also tried to flee.

“During the chase, one of the tanker’s brakes failed, resulting in the tanker catching ablaze. The second tanker was seized and both drivers were accordingly arrested,” said Transnet Pipelines spokesperson Saret Knoetze.

A nearby safehouse was then searched, leading to the discovery of “incriminating evidence”, added Knoetze. It is hoped that the evidence may lead to more arrests.

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The arrested suspects were expected to appear in court on Monday.

“This brings the total number of arrests in this financial year to 68 which sends a strong message to all perpetrators tampering and/or colluding to tamper on our pipelines.  TPL has adopted a zero tolerance to product theft and our appointed service provider will continue to apprehend these perpetrators.”

Alleged kingpin arrested

The arrests on Saturday come after an alleged kingpin – involved in a syndicate that has been stealing Transnet fuel and damaging the parastatal’s pipelines – was arrested in October.

At the time, Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase, said almost 8.5 million litres of fuel, valued at approximately R102 million, has been stolen from national Transnet pipes since last year.

Nkwalase said Transnet’s essential infrastructure forms part of the national key points.

The suspected kingpin was caught after further investigations into the arrest of two other suspects for the theft of fuel and tampering with the Transnet national pipeline in Vrede, Free State.

The other suspects, Mauro Aurelia Langa and Solly Khoza, were arrested while delivering the stolen fuel in Kromdraai, Witbank. 

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