Cape Town - Police have arrested six soldiers deployed at Beitbridge Border Post to defend and protect the territorial integrity of the country, for alleged corruption.
“Instead of carrying out their constitutional mandate of ensuring national security at the borders, they allegedly connived with vehicle smuggling syndicates to smuggle stolen vehicles through the Limpopo River in exchange for money.
“It is further alleged that the suspects would demand R15 000 per vehicle that would be shared among themselves, which also endangers the majority of their honest colleagues,” said police spokesperson Matimba Maluleke.
The suspects, aged between 30 and 51, whose military ranks range between Lance-Corporal and Private, were on the radar of the police until they were arrested by the team in North West, Northern Cape and Free State provinces on Monday.
They were expected to make their first court appearance in the Musina Magistrate’s Court today.
Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya hailed the collaborative efforts by the integrated team to vigorously fight and root out corruption in the public and private sectors, saying: “We certainly hope that our joint team efforts will inspire confidence in the entire public service and the South African community at large.
“Those who are entrusted with responsibility to protect and serve must never be tempted by dirty money from organised criminal groups, otherwise the lessons will be learnt the hard way.”
Their arrest came just days after two members of the SANDF aged 27 and 38 with an undocumented foreign national were arrested for allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in an army vehicle on Friday.
Police at Beitbridge received information about an army vehicle loaded with illicit cigarettes to be delivered to an unidentified buyer around Musina.
They staged a stop-and-search operation next to the Baobab Truck Park along the N1 road north of Musina.
“The army vehicle fitting the description given approached and the members pulled it over. Two uniformed soldiers and a civilian wearing the army jacket disembarked from the vehicle. The vehicle was then searched and 12 boxes of illicit cigarettes to the value of R160 000 were found packed in the back of the vehicle.The civilian was immediately arrested but the armed soldiers reportedly became confrontational and refused to be arrested. The police then confiscated the vehicle,” said police spokesperson Motlafela Mojapelo.
The soldiers were later brought to the police station by their commander and detained.
They were charged with possession of illicit cigarettes, defeating the ends of justice and resisting arrest.
The other suspect was charged with impersonating SANDF members and contravening the Immigration Act.
Cape Times