Two to appear in Limpopo court for smuggling 23 people into South Africa
Two people, including a taxi driver, were arrested in connection with the smuggling of 23 illegal immigrants at Solomondale near Polokwane on Saturday.
The 23 Ethiopian nationals were spotted inside a minibus taxi at a filling station along the R81 in Sebayeng.
A 44-year-old South African male drove the vehicle.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that all the passengers in the Quantum were illegally smuggled into South Africa from Ethiopia through Zimbabwe," said Limpopo police spokesperson Malesela Ledwaba .
"It is reported that while in the process of searching the Quantum and the passengers, they suddenly saw a white motor vehicle, which stopped at the scene being driven by a male foreign national.
"The driver of the Fortuner reportedly tried to bribe the police with R5000 to let the Quantum with the passengers go free from the arrest, and subsequently, he was charged for bribery".
The two drivers are both facing charges of human trafficking, bribery, and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The suspects will appear in the Mankweng Magistrate's Court on Monday.
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