A 44-year-old police sergeant has been arrested in Secunda, Mpumalanga, in connection with the hijacking of a diesel truck.

The officer, who is attached to the Secunda Flying Squad, was arrested as he arrived to report for duty on Friday, 4 September.

The arrest formed part of an investigation into the hijacking of a diesel truck in Bethal earlier this year.

Investigation points to police involvement

According to The Citizen, the truck was hijacked in Bethal on 2 May 2026.

The case was later handed to the Mpumalanga Provincial Organised Investigation Unit for further investigation.

Investigators allegedly found information suggesting that a police officer may have been involved in planning the hijacking.

A warrant of arrest was then issued for the sergeant. Four other suspects linked to the case were arrested in July 2026 following the investigation.

Sergeant arrested while reporting for duty

The officer was arrested when he arrived at work in Secunda and was taken into custody.

Footage shared online showed police officers escorting one of their own into the back of a police vehicle during the operation.

Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant-General Apaphia Modise praised the organised crime investigation team following the arrest.

Modise said the arrest showed that police would act against their own members when necessary.

“No one is above the law,” he said, adding that SAPS remained committed to dealing with criminal activity within its ranks.

Police warn against criminality within SAPS

Modise described the alleged involvement of a police officer in criminal activity as disappointing and regrettable.

He said SAPS would continue acting against members who become involved in crime and damage the reputation of the police service.

The sergeant remained in custody following his arrest and was expected to appear in the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 7 September 2026.

No court outcome had been reported in the supplied source at the time of publication.