Central SA
Man sentenced to 15 years behind bars for crude oil theft─── OLEBOGENG MOTSE 07:12 Sun, 20 Mar 2022
A 44-year-old man will spend 15 years behind bars for his role in the botched theft of crude oil from a Transnet pipeline circa 2020.
Norman Tsvito and three other men were on Friday found guilty of theft and tampering with essential infrastructure by the Sasolburg Magistrate's Court for the incident.
A spokesperson for the Hawks in the Free State, Christopher Singo, says Tsvito’s accomplices in the crime are Cliff Mtantho, Beckham Mtando, and George Katumba who are between the ages of 28 and 56-years-old.
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Tsvito is the only one out of the group who received a jail sentence.
The three others were slapped with a R 1 000 fine or face 30 days in jail if unable to pay.
On 1 August 2020, Transnet received a pressure drop from their pipeline at Taaibos farm in Zamdela, Sasolburg. The incident was immediately reported to the Hawks who attended to the complaint. When the police arrived at the crime scene, Singo says they found the accused loading crude oil from the valve into the truck.
