Four police officers from Limpopo, armed with state-issued firearms, have been arrested alongside a civilian after allegedly robbing a group of Ethiopian nationals of R950,000 in cash and illicit cigarettes valued at around R1.5 million in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga.
According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the victims were asleep on Friday night when a group of armed suspects stormed their premises.
The suspects were reportedly using three vehicles, a grey Toyota double-cab bakkie with Limpopo registration plates, a private vehicle believed to be a Suzuki or Avanza, and a marked SAPS VW Golf GTI confirmed to belong to the Polokwane Flying Squad.
Mdhluli said the private vehicle fled the scene carrying multiple boxes of illicit cigarettes and cash. Following an operation, officers arrested three male SAPS members, one female officer, and a 29-year-old civilian. Police also seized the vehicles, along with ammunition, cash, and boxes of cigarettes found at the scene.
Investigators discovered that the registration plates on the seized vehicles had been altered with black sellotape to obscure their true identity. Two of the arrested officers were carrying their official service firearms, which have since been confiscated.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court on charges of house robbery, though additional charges may follow as the investigation progresses. The case has been transferred to the Hawks for further inquiry.
Acting provincial police commissioner, Major General Dr. Zeph Mkhwanazi, condemned the officers’ actions, stating that the SAPS remains committed to eradicating corruption within its ranks. “No one is above the law. We will not tolerate any form of criminality within our ranks. The swift arrest of these individuals demonstrates our zero-tolerance approach to corruption and criminal behaviour,” he said.
Watch the video below………………………………..
WATCH | Undisclosed cash found inside the bullet proof vest of one of the four Limpopo police arrested in Mpumalanga for allegedly robbing Ethiopian nationals of R950 000.
Video: SAPS pic.twitter.com/5c2YoMpaic
— Sowetan LIVE (@SowetanLIVE) October 10, 2025
