Limpopo Provincial Tracking Team Intercepts Over 100 Undocumented Persons Near Polokwane

Polokwane – A significant interception by the Limpopo Provincial Tracking Team led to the discovery of more than 100 undocumented individuals, including children and adults, near Polokwane on Thursday, 07 December 2023. The operation unfolded at approximately 18:30, following a tip-off about a convoy traveling from Zimbabwe to Polokwane.

According to South African Police Service, a total of 133 undocumented individuals, comprising children, women, and males, were found in a convoy of eleven motor vehicles on the N1 North bypass Gateway outside Polokwane. The vehicles, which included eight Toyota Quantums, two Toyota Hilux GD6 Double Cab bakkies with canopies, and one Toyota Fortuner, were tactically approached, stopped, and searched by the police.

The police discovered 73 underage children, ranging from six months to seventeen years, and 60 adults who were unable to provide legal documentation for their presence in South Africa. They were arrested on the spot. Many of the passengers could not clarify their destination and were suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

In response to this situation, the Police have collaborated with other stakeholders, including the Department of Home Affairs and Social Development, to process the undocumented individuals and investigate the suspected human trafficking case.

The ongoing police investigation aims to unravel the details of this incident and address the broader issues of undocumented migration and human trafficking.