Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)

- Petros Vusumuzi Mahlaba (44) an employee at the Alberton Traffic Department, was on Friday, 14 June 2024, was arrested by members of the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation for fraud and contravention of the National Road Traffic Act, Act 93 of 1996.

The arrest emanates from an investigation which began after Bidvest Protea Coin Security guards cornered members of a syndicate that tampers with essential infrastructure. Members of the syndicate were nabbed while draining fuel from a Transnet pipeline in Klipfontein farm in Nigel in October 2023 and the truck used during the syndicate was seized. The matter was reported to the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit.

Investigation revealed that the horse and trailer truck used during the commission of crime belongs to an owner from Newcastle, the investigation team further discovered that the syndicate fraudulently changed the registration number of the truck from a Mpumalanga Province registration number to a Gauteng Province registration number without the knowledge of the owner. Further probe by the dedicated investigator with the assistance from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan licensing Evaluation and Monitoring Unit found that Mahlaba had implemented and authorised the transaction by changing the registration number of the truck by forging signatures as well as used a copy of the owners Identity document on 10 October 2023.

Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Gauteng, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa has commended the meticulous job by the investigating officer and appeals to members of the public to report any suspicious activity related to tempering of petroleum pipelines. Mahlaba made his first appearance at the Palm Ridge Magistrate Court on 18 June 2024 where the matter is postponed to Tuesday, 25 June 2024 for a formal bail application.