Three police officers attached to the Polokwane International Airport were arrested on Monday night for allegedly helping undocumented immigrants evade the law.
The officers were charged with defeating the administration of justice and for contravening section 49 of the Immigration Act.
The Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, alongside the Tactical Response Team, carried out the arrests. Investigations found that the officers allegedly failed to enforce immigration laws on undocumented foreign nationals.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the charges concern an incident on the N1 near Polokwane on April 17, 2025, when the five police officers were called after a traffic officer stopped a 22-seater minibus. The vehicle was reportedly carrying 46 undocumented foreigners.
The minibus was transported to the Polokwane N1 Weighbridge for processing, and the police officers informed the traffic officer that the illegal immigrants would be taken to the Polokwane SAPS for further processing.
However, when the station commander and arresting officers later followed up on the arrests, they found that the police officers and undocumented foreign nationals could not be found. Those arrested on Monday night are two men and one woman, aged between 44 and 49. Police are still searching for two other male officers.
The officers are expected to appear at the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.