An Ogies farmer in Mpumalanga found thousands of liters of diesel on his farm bubbling from a damaged pipeline and pouring into his cornfield.
Transnet Pipelines spokeswoman Vanessa Govender says Transnet security guards spotted a diesel leak on the Secunda-Kendall pipeline in the Ogies area on February 20 during a routine patrol.
Diesel thieves damaged a valve to steal diesel and the pipes with which they wanted to pump the diesel into a tank.
The name of the farmer on whose farm it happened was not disclosed.
Govender says a Transnet team is now repairing the pipeline.
Once the technical team is done, Transnet will begin rehabilitating the area. She says Transnet does not know at this stage how much diesel was wasted.
According to her, Transnet has started many strategies to improve the security of its pipelines, and is working closely with police.