Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
FIVE South African police officers accused of facilitating the disappearance of 46 undocumented foreign nationals have been granted bail of R1 000 each by a Polokwane court.
The officers appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday facing charges of defeating the ends of justice and contravening Section 49 of South Africa’s Immigration Act, 2002.
The matter was postponed to November 30 for further investigations.
The five are Sergeant Monyebodi Joyce Matlala (48), Sergeant Makwena Emmanuel Manamela (49), Montsho Johannes Thole (44), Sergeant Congress Kwena Mothiba (44) and Sergeant Benjamin Nare Chokwe (50).
They were arrested on Monday, October 19, by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, assisted by the Polokwane Tactical Response Team, following an extensive investigation.
South African Police Service (SAPS) Limpopo spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the charges arose from an incident on April 17, 2025, along the N1 near Polokwane, a major route linking Beitbridge Border Post to South Africa’s interior.
A traffic officer had intercepted a 22-seater Mercedes-Benz minibus carrying 46 undocumented foreign nationals. The driver was arrested, and the vehicle was escorted to the Polokwane N1 Weighbridge for processing.
Members of the SAPS Polokwane International Airport unit were subsequently called to assist.
“It is alleged that four male police officers and one female police officer arrived at the scene and informed the arresting traffic officer that arrangements had been made with the station commander to transport the undocumented foreign nationals to Polokwane Police Station for further processing,” said Col Ledwaba.
“The officers subsequently left the scene with the foreign nationals. However, when the station commander and the arresting traffic officer followed up at Polokwane Police Station, neither the officers nor the foreign nationals could be located.”
Col Ledwaba said the matter was referred to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, and investigations led to the Director of Public Prosecutions directing that the five officers be charged.
He said investigations were continuing, with authorities not ruling out further arrests as they sought to establish what happened to the 46 foreign nationals.
The case comes amid intensified joint operations by South Africa and Zimbabwe to combat human smuggling, irregular migration and cross-border crime along the Limpopo River.
