POLOKWANE – Three South African Police Service officers stationed at Polokwane International Airport were arrested on Monday evening in connection with a corrupt scheme that led to the disappearance of nearly 50 undocumented foreign nationals last year.
The suspects – two men and one woman aged between 44 and 49 – were taken into custody during a joint operation by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit and the Polokwane Tactical Response Team (TRT). They face charges of defeating the ends of justice and contravening Section 49 of the Immigration Act.
The arrests stem from a high-profile incident on 17 April 2025, when a traffic officer intercepted a 22-seater Mercedes-Benz minibus along the N1 highway near Polokwane. The vehicle was packed with 46 undocumented foreign nationals.
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After escorting the minibus to the Polokwane N1 Weighbridge for processing, airport-based police officers were called to assist. Five officers — four men and one woman — arrived on the scene and claimed they had arranged with the station commander to transport the foreign nationals to the local police station.
However, when the station commander and the arresting traffic officer later checked on the group at the Polokwane SAPS station neither the five officers nor the 46 detainees could be found.The matter was immediately handed over to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit for an in-depth investigation. Following a thorough prob, the Director of Public Prosecutions issued directives for all five implicated officers to be charged.
The three arrested officers are scheduled to make their first appearance in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today, Tuesday 20 October. Authorities confirmed operations were actively ongoing to trace and arrest the remaining two police officers, with further arrests expected soon.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Jan Petrus Scheepers welcomed the arrests, praising the investigative team for their persistence and commitment to rooting corruption out and ensuring accountability within police ranks. Police investigations remain ongoing.
