Durban — In the early hours of the morning of June 13, two suspects helped themselves to a Durban Tourism banner worth R18 000 on Tollgate Bridge that spans the N3 highway.
Municipal head of communications Lindiwe Khuzwayo said they were aware of the bridge banner theft.
She said that a case was opened at Berea SAPS but was transferred to Mayville SAPS.
Khuzwayo provided a case number that the “Daily News” sent to the police for comment.
Speaking about the cost of the banners the municipality places on Tollgate Bridge and how much the one that was stolen cost, Khuzwayo said: “The cost differs depending on the material used to print on (PVC, polyester or fabric). This particular banner was of PVC material at the cost of R18 000.”
“Durban Tourism has not lost any banner this year except for this one incident. We are sure of this as all our advertising is installed and dismantled,” Khuzwayo said about the number of banners placed on Tollgate Bridge that had been stolen since the start of the year.
A video of the theft was shared by Homeland Security SA and captioned: “We have Dahua Technology South Africa 150m AI Starlight bullet camera on loan from IDS. Last night the Durban Tourism banner was stolen.”
The clip shows footage taken on June 13, from 1.35am.
Then from 1.40am one of the suspects went up and down poles to take down the banner while the second suspect appeared to be the lookout.
Eventually, what appears to be more than half of the banner came down at about 2.23am. The two suspects are seen pulling a piece from one of the poles but gave up.
The suspects are then seen folding the banner and leaving the area at around 2.30am.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that police in Berea are investigating a case of theft following an incident in which property belonging to the municipality was reportedly stolen on the Tollgate Bridge along the Peter Mokaba Road in Musgrave between June 12 and 13.
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