NELSPRUIT – The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma congratulated two members from the Balfour Police Station, Constables Vuyi Mqhwathi and Mandla Khumalo for refusing a R42 000 bribe offered by a suspect to them.

According to a police statement, the two police officers were on duty doing routine patrols near a certain gold mine, when they spotted a white Toyota Double Cab without a registration number, parked near the mine gate.

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They then approached it and interviewed the driver who reportedly mentioned that he was working for a certain security company based at Nigel, in Gauteng and was doing a site visit inspection.

“The two astute officers called the security company to verify if the man, a 38-year-old man was indeed working for the company, but the security company denied that. The members then took him to the police station to charge him for impersonating a security officer,” said Brigadier Leonard Hlathi, police spokesperson for police in Mpumalanga.

“While on their way to the police station, the suspect reportedly took out R2 000 from a plastic bag and offered it to the members in exchange for his freedom and the members would not budge.”

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“Further on towards the police station, he again took out another amount, later calculated to the tune of a whopping R40 000 and still offered it to the police in exchange for his freedom, but the incorruptible members stood their ground and instead took the money, booked it on the Exhibit Register. The members laid an additional charge of bribery against him,” said Hlathi.

General Zuma said what the members did was exactly what is expected from every member of the organisation.

“The members should continue being true to the oath they took and work to protect their community”, said the General.

He further wished that this kind of behaviour would rub onto other members as well.