The Musina Police Station Commissioner, Supt Maggie Mathebula set an unprecedented example among her juniors when she refused to be induced by five illegal Zimbabwean immigrants who allegedly attempted to offer her a R300 bribe so that she would allow them to proceed to Gauteng.

The cunning move by the five Zimbabwean suspects, however, turned into bitter pill to swallow for them as it led to their subsequent arrest.

The police spokesman for the Vhembe District, Supt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi, told Mirror that the suspects were arrested in Musina on Saturday (13 January). "The five suspects approached the station commissioner and offered her R300 on the understanding that she would allow them to proceed to Johannesburg. She (Mathebula) took the money, however, and subsequently opened a bribery case against the suspects and they were then arrested," said Mushavhanamadi.

He applauded the station commissioner, saying Mathebula’s demonstration showed that she was a responsible and well-dignified individual who apparently did not tolerate corruption. Mushavhanamadi urged members of the SAPS to emulate her.

"What the (Musina) Station Commissioner did is indeed worth commending and we are saying all SAPS members should emulate her by shunning corrupt activities. As police, we should always reflect a true picture of a police force that is non-tolerant of corruption whenever fulfilling our duties to the community," said the police spokesman.

Mushavhanamadi said the suspects would soon appear in Musina magistrate’s court on bribery charges.

Early last year, an Inspector Ledwaba was rewarded R10 000 by SAPS for arresting a Zimbabwean truck driver who attempted to bribe him for the same amount. The driver was carrying a consignment of Zimbabwean cigarettes, which he allegedly intended to smuggle into South Africa through the Beitbridge border post.