Water tanker mafia: Suspended TMPD inspector reveals modus operandi behind infrastructure sabotage

A senior official in the City of Tshwane has alleged that a criminal water tanker network is deliberately vandalising the municipality’s infrastructure to create a lucrative market for illicit water sales.

The alarming revelation was made by Lebogang Phiri, a suspended Inspector in the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD). Phiri provided the testimony while on the stand today at the Madlanga Commission.

Phiri is currently responding to allegations that he flouted the municipality’s procurement processes. Specifically, he is accused of allocating ad-hoc work to private security companies without obtaining the necessary authorisation from his superiors.

However, Phiri has denied that he acted without the knowledge of his leadership. He maintained that the municipality is frequently forced to deploy private security guards to protect critical infrastructure from organised criminal elements.

According to Phiri, the vandalism is not random but part of a calculated scheme to profit from service delivery failures.

He described a cycle of sabotage where municipal assets are disabled to force a reliance on private tankers.

"There is an established modus operandi whereby criminals intentionally vandalise the reservoirs and pump stations to halt the flow of water," Phiri testified. "Once the municipal water supply is stopped, illicit operators utilising water tankers illegally draw water directly from municipal hydrants to sell."

The commission continues to investigate the extent of the unauthorised security contracts and the validity of the claims regarding organised infrastructure sabotage.