Two traffic officers and a policeman attached to the Nkomazi municipality appeared at the Komatipoort magistrate's court on Friday on charges of fraud and corruption after they were nabbed by the Hawks in a roadblock. 

Khethiwe Mkhabela,42, and Lucky Mabena, 37, and David Mahlare Ntuli, 34, were released on R1,000 bail after they were not asked to plead to the charges. The suspects were asked to return to court on July 12.

Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga Capt Deneo Sekgotodi said the traffic officers would stop motorists, mostly foreign nationals in the N4, and demand bribes.

 She said Ntuli would each time when visiting the Malalane area bring his police uniform to stage a stop and search operations and demand a bribe. 

“The investigations started about two years ago where we had to collect enough evidence against the accused. We therefore today arrested them at their workplace while the police officer, Ntuli, was arrested at his home,” said Sekgotodi. 

Sekgotodi said more arrests were expected. “We expect to have eight people in total arrested today which includes police and traffic officers.”