Transnet Increases Pipeline Security After 77 Fuel Theft Incidents

While the crime has been a source of concern for Transnet for years, there are concerns that it may grow as gasoline prices rise.

Transnet reported that 77 incidences of fuel theft occurred during the previous fiscal year, resulting in severe financial and environmental effects.

This week, the state-owned corporation announced that the Durban to Heidelberg multi-product pipeline had been tampered with, resulting in a major fuel spill.

While the crime has been a source of concern for Transnet for years, there are concerns that it may grow as gasoline prices rise.

The audacious fuel theft has resulted in spillages that have caused fires and explosions in villages located near the pipelines.

Transnet stated that it was examining ways to enhance pipeline security.

“While we have numerous security mechanisms in place on the pipeline, we are also analyzing the latest technology on the market to see how we can further increase the pipeline’s security,” said Transnet pipelines spokesperson Saret Knoetze.

In 2020, South Africans faced a diesel scarcity due to theft and vandalism along Transnet’s 3,800-kilometer-long gasoline pipeline network.