Hawks arrest alleged kingpin linked to Transnet fuel theft
The Hawks on Wednesday arrested a 35-year-old alleged kingpin for alleged involvement in a fuel theft syndicate and damage to essential infrastructure.
The suspect was arrested in Pretoria during a multidisciplinary operation led by the Free State Hawks together with Bidvest Protea Coin Security, Gauteng Traffic Department Saturation Unit.
Hawks spokesperson, Philani Nkwalase says the arrest follows a further investigation into the arrest of two suspects for theft of fuel and tempering with the Transnet national pipeline.
Those suspects were arrested while delivering the stolen fuel in Kromdraai, Emalahleni.
"The duo, Mauro Aurelia Langa (41), a Mozambique national and Solly Khoza (35) appeared in the Vrede Magistrates’ Court yesterday and are expected to be back in court on the 24 October 2022," says Nkwalase
Nkwalase says the alleged kingpin is expected to appear in the Emalahleni Magistrates court on Thursday and will later appear in Vrede with other suspects.
"It is now in the public domain that almost 8.5 million litres of fuel, valued at approximately R102 million, have been stolen from national Transnet pipes in the last year.
“There have been46 suspects arrested in the last three months owing to the multi-disciplinary approach operations which prove to be a working formula. Now with the additional three linked to this incident, we are sitting at a total of 49 suspects arrested in the country."
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