Tshwane Woman Arrested for Attempting to Bribe TMPD Official Over Job Position

• A woman was arrested after paying a bribe of R3,000 to a senior TMPD official in Tshwane
• Thaluki allegedly offered R10,000 after failing in the City of Tshwane recruitment drive
• The payment was allegedly part of a broader attempt to secure a position within the metro police service

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

GAUTENG, TSHWANE - A young woman accused of trying to buy her way into the Tshwane Metro Police Department has been released on warning after having appeared in court, with her case postponed to 20 February 2026.

Woman paid R3,000 to a senior TMPD official

The 22-year-old, Lesudi Tshegofatso Thaluki, was arrested on Thursday, 22 January 2026, by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit in Pretoria, according to spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo. Investigators allege Thaluki paid R3,000 to a senior TMPD official during an undercover sting at Wonderboom Junction Shopping Centre. The officer was working with the Hawks at the time. The payment was allegedly part of a broader attempt to secure a position within the metro police service.

Read also

SA weighs in as EFF says state wants to ‘make an example’ of Malema

The case reportedly dates back to 9 January 2026, when a TMPD commissioner received an email from Thaluki claiming she had been unsuccessful in the City of Tshwane’s recruitment drive. In the message, she allegedly requested assistance to be appointed and offered R10,000 in exchange.

Stopped the alleged bribery attempt

The commissioner reported the approach to the Hawks, triggering an investigation that resulted in the undercover operation and arrest. Singo said the intervention stopped the alleged bribery attempt before it could progress further.

Thaluki appeared briefly in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 23 January 2026, where she was released on warning. The matter will return to court next month while investigations continue. Gauteng Hawks head Major General Ebrahim Kadwa praised the investigating team for acting swiftly and reiterated a call for public servants to report corruption without delay.

Other bribe-related stories

Two City of Cape Town law enforcement officers have been arrested after they allegedly demanded a R3,000 bribe from a drunk motorist. The arrest follows a sting operation by the South African Police Service's anti-corruption unit just over a week ago. It is reported that the two officers stopped a motorist for driving under the influence of alcohol on Voortrekker Road in Parow.

Read also

Julius Malema pre-sentencing: Security tightened outside East London Magistrates Court

South Africans called for the South African Police Service to investigate a police officer after a video of him taking money from someone went viral. The video shows the police officer sitting with someone with a bottle of Coca-Cola in his hands. The two seem to be engaged in a conversation.

Cape Town court interpreter arrested for allegedly soliciting bribe

Similarly, Briefly News reported that a Cape Town court interpreter appeared in court after allegedly trying to solicit a bribe.

The woman approached a suspect's sister and promised he would get bail if she paid R20,000.

Source: Briefly News