By Everson Luhanga
Two dumb traffic cops who tried to solicit a “lunch money” bribe from Hawks officers in Groblersdal, Limpopo, on Thursday would find out the next day that 11 of their colleagues had also been arrested for bribery in a major undercover sting operation.
The two cops were arrested after they stopped members of the Hawks and demanded R100 “lunch money”.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa said its members were driving an official car on Van Riebeeck Street in Groblersdal on Thursday when they were ordered to pull over.
“The officials informed the driver that he had contravened the National Road Traffic Act by using a cellphone while driving a motor vehicle. They asked him to produce a driver’s licence.”
The cops allegedly told the Hawks official to buy lunch for them to avoid getting a ticket.
“The driver apologised, but the second traffic official allegedly insisted that he buy lunch for them.”
The Hawks officers then identified themselves and promptly arrested the two surprised cops.
The 11 officers arrested on Friday in Polokwane allegedly took bribes to ignore traffic violations and other illegal activities by drivers.
Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesperson Simon Zwane said the Anti-Corruption Unit and the SAPS arrested the traffic officers in Polokwane on Friday.
“The suspects were arrested on allegations that they had been taking bribes from bus operators, taxi drivers and motorists travelling on the N1 highway between Polokwane and Musina,” said Zwane.
“The officials have been under investigation since March 2022 as part of an undercover operation called ‘Coconut’, which targeted law enforcement officials involved in unethical and unlawful conduct leading to many crashes on the N1.”
Zwane said the investigation showed that traffic officers working along the N1 freeway and those from towns and villages were leaving their regular duties to participate in corrupt activities.
“It is alleged that the officers stopped motorists and conducted inspections, but they would demand bribes instead of issuing traffic fines when they found faults with the vehicles or driving licences,” he said.
“An undercover operation to prevent, detect or investigate the commission of an offence was conducted after entrapment permission was obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
The suspects are expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrates’ Court soon to face charges of defeating the ends of justice, extortion and taking bribes from motorists, bus operators, and malaichas [vehicles transporting goods to Zimbabwe] along the N1 and other routes.
Many people on social media reacted to the officers’ arrest, saying the operations should be rolled out to the entire country, citing the many corrupt officials.
Pictured above: Some of the 13 arrested traffic officials.
Source: RTMC
