Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
SOUTH African police have intercepted 23 Ethiopians soon after they were smuggled into that country from Zimbabwe.
They also arrested the driver of the vehicle they were being smuggled in and another driver of an accomplice's car who tried to bribe the police.
The group was being transported in two vehicles by armed men believed to be part of a human smuggling syndicate that moves immigrants from the horn of Africa into South Africa.
In Zimbabwe, the Department of Immigration with the assistance of other security agents have been intercepting Ethiopians, Somalis, Congolese, Eritreans and citizens of countries north of the Zambezi River during their trek to South Africa.
It is understood that their route through Zimbabwe uses illegal crossing points in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
According to security sources, the Limpopo is the main barrier for their trek to South Africa, hence they are intercepted at the border or roads leading to several illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River.
In the latest case, police spokesperson for Limpopo province Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said the group was arrested in the Solomondale area near the city of Polokwane on Saturday.
The group aged between 20 and 40 years have been charged for violating sections of the Immigration Act.
"It is reported that members of the SAPS Limpopo Provincial Tracking Team in conjunction with two private security companies SPS High Risk and Tshimollo Security have acted on operationalised information gathered regarding a motor vehicle, a white Toyota Quantum, that was found driving along R81 road in Solomondale under Sebayeng policing area through Munik road from Beitbridge port of entry in Musina from Zimbabwe to Polokwane in Limpopo, South Africa," said Col Ledwaba.
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"During the process, the team spotted the Quantum at a filling station along R81 road in Sebayeng and upon checking they discovered that 23 Ethiopian male nationals aged between 20 and 38 years were ferried in a 15-seater passenger mini bus by the driver, a 44-year-old male South African citizen".
He said preliminary investigations revealed that all the passengers in the Quantum were illegally smuggled into South Africa from Ethiopia through Zimbabwe.
Col Ledwaba said while in the process of searching the Quantum and the passengers, the police suddenly saw a white Toyota Fortuner which stopped at the scene being driven by a male foreign national.
He said the driver of the Quantum was found in possession of a licensed firearm, and it was confiscated for investigation purposes.
"Meanwhile, the driver of the Fortuner reportedly tried to bribe the police with R5 000 to let the Quantum with the passengers go free, and subsequently he was charged for bribery.
The arrested two drivers and the other suspects are facing charges of human trafficking, bribery, and contravention of the Immigration Act," Col Ledwaba said.
