ZIMBABWEAN MAN SLAPPED WITH A HEFTY SENTENCE FOR STEALING TRANSNET OIL

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By: Neo Ntsele

On 20 April 2026, the Vrede Regional Court sentenced a Zimbabwean named Felix Magatu, aged 44, to seven years in prison for tampering with or damaging essential infrastructure and another seven years for stealing crude oil.

He was also deemed unfit to own a firearm.

Magatu's accomplice, Shepard Vareni, is currently serving a prison sentence after being sentenced by the same court in November 2025.

On 25 September 2023, security personnel were alerted to a crude oil theft at a farm near Memel.

After coordinating with local police, two suspects were pursued and apprehended, and two vehicles were recovered.

It was discovered that the duo had damaged a Transnet pipeline to steal crude oil valued at over R600,000.