The Limpopo businessman who was arrested by the Hawks on a bribery charge was granted bail of R2000 on Monday.

Magistrate Janine Ungerer warned Lingyun Tang, a Chinese national, to appear again on June 7.

The 41-year-old businessman made a brief appearance in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court after he was arrested on Friday last week for allegedly paying R3000 to an official of the Department of Labour.

His arrest followed an incident in which the official had conducted an inspection at the shop owned by Tang in China City in Polokwane.

Tang's shop was found to be in contravention of the Labour Act and a compliance order was subsequently issued against him.

According to Hawks' provincial spokesman Captain Matimba Maluleke, instead of complying with the order Tang allegedly approached the inspector and promised to give him a R3000 bribe in order to falsify a compliance report.

He said the officer then alerted them, resulting in an entrapment being conducted, which ultimately led to the arrest.

“The suspect was arrested shortly after giving out the R3000 bribe to the officer,” said Maluleke.

He further commended the work of the officer and said he wished other law enforcement officers could conduct themselves “in similar fashion.”

“I believe we would have a corrupt-free South Africa if we could have officials conducting themselves in the manner in which the whistle-blower from the Department of Labour did. His action should really be lauded,” he added.