A South African and two Ethiopian men are expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face charges related to the contravention of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 and human trafficking following their arrest yesterday.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba reports that the Provincial Organised Crime Unit received and followed up on information about illegal activity at a lodge in Polokwane.

Upon arrival, Ledwaba says, the police were directed to a rented room where they found three males between the ages of 29 and 40 who alleged that they were alone in the room.

“Police conducted a search and found three women, believed to be Ethiopians, hidden in the room. The women, aged between 20 and 23, had passports but were not stamped and authorised to be in the country legally and were immediately placed under arrest for [the] contravention of the immigration act,” his statement reads.

The trio of men were also placed under arrest for human trafficking after preliminary investigations indicated that the women were transported from Musina and were heading to Gauteng without valid passports.

Ledwaba said police investigations continue.