- Three police officers from Polokwane International Airport, aged 44 to 49, were arrested on 19 October and appear in court on Tuesday.
- Police allege they helped 46 undocumented foreign nationals escape immigration processing after a minibus was stopped on the N1 on 17 April 2025.
Three police officers attached to Polokwane International Airport in Limpopo were arrested on the evening of Monday, 19 October, for allegedly defeating the administration of justice and breaking the Immigration Act, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said.
Police allege that the officers helped 46 undocumented foreign nationals avoid immigration enforcement after a minibus carrying them was stopped near Polokwane on 17 April 2025.
The two men and one woman, aged between 44 and 49, were arrested by the Limpopo Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, assisted by the Polokwane Tactical Response Team, after what police called an extensive investigation.
On 17 April 2025, a traffic officer on the N1 near Polokwane stopped a 22-seater minibus carrying 46 undocumented foreign nationals and arrested the driver.
The vehicle was taken to the Polokwane N1 Weighbridge, where all 46 occupants were confirmed to be undocumented. Police officers from Polokwane International Airport were called to help.
Police allege that four male officers and one female officer arrived and told the traffic officer that arrangements had been made with their station commander to take the group to Polokwane police station for processing. The officers left with the 46 people. When the station commander and the traffic officer followed up at the police station, neither the officers nor the foreign nationals could be found.
The matter was referred to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit. After its investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that the five officers be charged. The three arrested are expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 20 October. Police say they are trying to find and arrest the other two, and that more arrests are imminent.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Petrus Scheepers welcomed the arrests and commended the investigators for their dedication and commitment to accountability within the police.
“It’s sad that we see our young members doing corruption and not honouring the badge and not honouring the organisation and not honouring our communities. They thought we made a joke when we said we will change blue uniforms for an orange one. In this province, we are dedicated, together with my whole management team. If you are corrupt and you’re wearing the blue uniform, we will change it to an orange one. That’s it,” Scheepers told SABC news.
Police investigations are continuing.
On 7 October, the same unit and tactical team arrested three other Limpopo officers in separate cases of theft and soliciting a bribe.
