Couple arrested at roadblock trying to smuggle woman to Mpumalanga in car's boot

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Johannesburg - A couple’s plan to smuggle a young woman out of Gauteng into Mpumalanga during lockdown has landed the pair in prison over the weekend. On Friday, a roadblock manned by the police at the N12 Mpumalanga-Gauteng border saw police, Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko and her Mpumalanga counterpart, MEC Gabisile Tshabalala, make the discovery. The woman was found in the boot of her boyfriend's VW Polo. In a tweet, Mazibuko said the couple was arrested on the spot as they were attempting to cross into Mpumalanga without a permit. Lockdown regulations have barred travelling between districts and provinces in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The virus has now claimed the lives of 54 people in the country and has more than 3100 confirmed cases as of Sunday night.

“A man was arrested at the N12 roadblock on Friday, 17 April, for attempting to smuggle his girlfriend out of Gauteng to Mpumalanga without a permit.

“Law enforcement asked the man to open the boot to search the vehicle and they found a lady inside. She was also arrested (because) she consented to be smuggled,” said Mazibuko.

A man was arrested at the N12 roadblock on Friday, 17 April, for attempting to smuggle his girlfriend out of GP to MP, without a permit.



Law enforcement asked the man to open the boot to search, they found a lady inside.

She was also arrested, she consented to be smuggled. pic.twitter.com/QuONdyDz0p — MEC Faith Mazibuko (@FaithMazibukoSA) April 19, 2020

Mazibuko’s tweet, which was posted at about 7pm on Sunday night, has gone viral - with more than 3 000 retweets and thousands of comments.

At the same roadblock, Mazibuko said police arrested a male suspect for transporting alcohol during the lockdown.

I'm at a roadblock with my counterpart from Mpumalanga, MEC Gabisile Shabalala, and we are arresting this guy for transporting alcohol during the lockdown. pic.twitter.com/hCbi1XIbJF — MEC Faith Mazibuko (@FaithMazibukoSA) April 19, 2020

And a woman was issued with a fine and had to return to Gauteng when she tried to cross the border with three children.

A lady was fined and turned back after she tried to go to Mpumalanga for work (with a permit), from Gauteng , with 3 children who did not have permits. #StayAtHome #LockdownSA — MEC Faith Mazibuko (@FaithMazibukoSA) April 19, 2020

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** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the government's 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or go to SA Coronavirus for more information.