Eight state bakkies without trackers stolen in Ndwedwe

AT A TIME when vehicle thieves are on the lookout for easy pickings, one would expect that every effort is made to ensure the safety of one’s assets.

This was not the case for officials at the Kwazulu-natal Department of Agriculture (DOA) who failed to insure or fit tracking devices on a fleet of vehicles parked on the premises of a municipality on the north coast.

Eight bakkies belonging to the DOA were stolen this week.

Eight armed robbers allegedly entered the premises under the Ndwedwe Local Municipality, in the Ilembe District, and drove off with the vehicles.

The KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said according to information received, the incident took place at about 9pm on Monday.

The security guards were allegedly held up at gunpoint and tied up before the suspects broke into the administration office, where they stole the vehicles’ keys.

The security guards managed to free themselves later and reported the incident to the local police station.

Siza Sibande, head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, confirmed that the stolen vehicles had not been fitted with tracking devices.

He said the incident happened at a time when he was busy looking at different options on how the vehicles could be insured. Sibande, who was appointed in November, said he could not understand why vehicles were not fitted with tracking devices.

“The incident struck at a time when we were considering a few options at our disposal to procure insurance cover for vehicles from different suppliers,” Sibande said.

He said the stolen vehicles were crucial to the delivery of services to the poor, especially in the fight against rabies, which was prevalent in the district.

Sibande said he feared that the stolen vehicles could have been taken to Mozambique. He could not rule out allegations that a staff member had collaborated with the criminals.

Timothy Ngcobo, a member of the Ndwedwe Development Committee, said when he went to investigate the day after the incident, the security guard told him that while they were being accosted, he overhead a staff member on the phone directing criminals where to find the keys for vehicles.

“It is clear that the information was leaked after robbers smashed the office door using a hand-held pick before taking keys from a drawer,” he said.

Ngcobo said the criminals were aware that the vehicles had not been fitted with trackers.

Spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said the KZN Department of Transport was responsible for the purchasing of vehicles but it was left to each department to fit them with a tracker system and insurance cover.

He said there was a study being conducted looking at how state vehicles could be protected.

“State vehicles are not safe because criminals were now aware that the vehicles were not insured and therefore had no tracking device,” he said.

Spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the KZN provincial police was offering a R50000 reward for information that led to the arrest and successful prosecution of those involved.

Mbele said a search for the eight suspects was under way, adding that those who had information should contact the police.

“Eight state vehicles were taken from the premises and all eight vehicles are white bakkies. A reward has been offered to any individual who may have information that could assist in the investigation or the location of the vehicles,” said Mbele.

The details of the stolen vehicles are as follows:

◆ Toyota Hilux, reg KZN 37157

◆ Toyota Hilux, reg KZN 37111

◆ Toyota Hilux, reg KZN 37123

◆ Isuzu single cab, reg KZN 36900

◆ Ford Ranger, reg KZN 37481

◆ Nissan Hardbody, reg KZN 37349

◆ Nissan Hardbody, reg KZN 37442

◆ Nissan Hardbody, reg KZN 36608