A man who tampered with Transnet’s Secunda-Kendal pipeline and stole about 40 000 litres of petrol has been sentenced to an effective ten years in prison.
The Evander Regional Court sentenced Herold Mabunda on September 9 following his conviction on all charges in January, Transnet Pipelines (TPL) said.
The case dates back to July 2, 2022, when TPL’s control centre detected a pressure drop on the pipeline. Security teams responding to the incident identified a fuel tanker and an accompanying vehicle leaving the area.
The tanker driver attempted to evade the security personnel before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot with a passenger. Both were apprehended.
Investigators established that approximately 40 000 litres of unleaded petrol, valued at R1.069 million, had been stolen. The full volume was recovered and returned to TPL.
Mabunda was sentenced to ten years for tampering with essential infrastructure, ten years for fuel theft and one year for transporting dangerous goods without the required licence or permit. The sentences will run concurrently.
The conviction sent a strong message that fuel theft and crimes against critical infrastructure would not go unpunished, TPL chief executive Sibongiseni Khathi said.
Mabunda’s co-accused, Bongani Mzizi, pleaded guilty in June 2023 and received an effective seven-year sentence for infrastructure tampering, theft and unlawfully transporting dangerous goods.
TPL operates a 3 114-kilometre petroleum and gas pipeline network across five provinces.
