Durban — In a sting operation, the Msunduzi Municipality outsmarted two municipal employees, leading to their arrest.
“In a concerted effort to combat fraud and corruption within Msunduzi Municipality and to send a strong message to employees and the public that no one is above the law, a multi-disciplinary sting operation led to the arrest of two municipal employees for the alleged theft of municipal fuel,” the municipality said.
“The two employees, one permanent and the other on contract – were apprehended today (Friday, October 11) in possession of embezzled municipal fuel (petrol 2 stroke) in the guise of using it for work purposes.”
The municipality explained that after months of investigations into the mismanagement of fuel where odd amounts were being dispatched, every Friday the culprits would legally obtain the fuel in the guise of dispersing it to areas that need refuelling for the continuation of service delivery.
“Monitored by the Internal Investigation unit, today (Friday) the unit managed to track one of the alleged vehicles to Edendale where they arrived whilst the culprits were parked and unloading a municipal truck full of jerry cans into a civilian van.
“Three external male suspects were also apprehended at the scene,” the municipality said.
The municipality opened a criminal case against the suspects for theft.
“Concerning this investigation, three other municipal employees were served with immediate precautionary suspension for the duration and completion of the investigation which seeks to uncover the full extent of the operation, identify potential accomplices, and gather evidence to secure a thorough legal prosecution,” the municipality explained.
The municipality said it continues to uphold its stance on zero tolerance for fraud, corruption and illegal activities within its walls and throughout the city.
“Residents are encouraged to act as the municipality’s “eyes and ears” by reporting any unlawful activities. This will help protect the municipal infrastructure as theft and vandalism of municipal assets compromise the municipality’s integrity and hinder timely service delivery,” the municipality concluded.
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