His sentence, handed down in the Harrismith Regional Court, followed his tampering with essential infrastructure.

Nhire reportedly two stole diesel tankers carrying 58 681 litres, valued at over R800 000.

Free State Provincial Head of the Hawks, Mokgadi Bokaba, says these charges stem from an incident that occurred on May 11, 2022.

He further adds the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Bethlehem received a complaint from the master control centre of the Transnet pipeline in Pinetown.

Provincial Hawks Spokesperson Christopher Singo tells OFM News on the same day as the complaint, they received a tip-off about a truck stuck on a highway in Harrismith that was towing diesel tankers.

Voice: Singo

“The police then followed up on the information, and upon arrival they found the suspect pulling two tankers with a truck. They then took a sample from the tankers for analysis, and it was discovered that the diesel was from the Transnet pipeline”

OFM News/Mpho Mohapi