Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has commended the swift work of its internal investigators and the police after the team swooped on an employee allegedly linked to the illegal sale of the parastatal’s containers.
TFR said in a statement that the arrest had occurred after management at its Polokwane depot received a complaint from an anonymous caller about containers being allegedly sold for R40 000 each by an employee.
Investigations were conducted and it was found that eight containers were missing. An urgent investigation was undertaken and a Transnet employee was identified. Witness statements were obtained and a case of theft and fraud was registered with SAPS Polokwane, TFR said.
TFR General Manager Security and Forensics, Marius Bennett, said the arrest should send a clear message that the parastatal was adopting a zero-tolerance stance against theft and other forms of criminal activity.
“TFR is the backbone of the freight rail industry in South Africa and we have a duty to run seamless and transparent business operations. These kinds of incidents set a poor precedent and damage our reputation,” said Bennett.
The suspect is expected to appear in court this week.
