A disturbing court case has raised fresh concerns about alleged links between organised crime and members of the police, after a Zimbabwean national told the Durban Magistrates’ Court that police officers allegedly helped escort a hijacked petrol truck through Durban.
Clive Chigwiku, 39, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to his involvement in the hijacking. Part of his sentence has been suspended after he agreed to become a state witness and provide information about other people allegedly involved, including police officers.
According to Chigwiku’s testimony, the plan was discussed on 16 October 2024 when he met Nhlanhla Madzinana in Clairwood.
The court heard that Madzinana allegedly proposed hijacking a truck loaded with petrol and selling it to Chigwiku for R400,000. Madzinana and another man would allegedly carry out the hijacking before contacting Chigwiku to collect the truck and take it to a safe location.
Chigwiku then allegedly approached his former girlfriend, a police officer stationed at Brighton Beach Police Station, and asked for assistance.
His request was allegedly for police to escort the hijacked truck so that it would not raise suspicion while travelling on the road.
According to Chigwiku, the officer agreed but said they would have to be paid for their involvement.
After the truck was allegedly hijacked, Chigwiku said he was instructed to wait along Higginson Highway. He travelled there in his Audi Q3 and claims that Brighton Beach police officers followed in police vehicles.
Read | Four Nabbed for Diesel Tanker Truck Hijacking in Komatipoort
The alleged operation eventually unravelled when other police officers arrived and arrested Madzinana and another suspect.
Chigwiku and those allegedly accompanying him managed to escape, although he was arrested about a month later.
The court also heard that Chigwiku had been earning around R50,000 and had entered South Africa illegally.
The magistrate expressed concern over the allegations, saying there were now police officers who had effectively become involved in criminal activities. The court also referred to evidence emerging from the Madlanga Commission concerning alleged links between law enforcement and organised crime.
For South Africa’s trucking industry, the allegations are particularly disturbing. A hijacked fuel tanker being allegedly moved under the protection of police vehicles would raise serious questions about how criminal networks could exploit law-enforcement resources to move stolen cargo.
The allegations against the police officers still need to be tested through the appropriate legal process.
The latest SA Trucking News straight to your inbox!
