“Those Cars Are Haunted”: SA Reacts as Decommissioned SAPS Vehicles Go on Auction in Polokwane

• A TikTok clip of branded SAPS vehicles going under the hammer at a Polokwane auction on Saturday, 20 June has left South Africans fuming online
• Many South Africans pointed out that police stations across the country already face serious vehicle shortages, making the auction hard to swallow
• Online reactions ranged from outright mockery to genuine concern about what the sale says about the state of policing in South Africa

South Africans were left shaking their heads after a TikTok video showed branded SAPS vehicles going up for auction in Polokwane, Limpopo. The clip, posted by NewsNexusOfficial on 21 June 2026, showed the decommissioned police vehicles at a government auction held the day before in Sterpark.

The auction took place on Saturday, 20 June at Sterpark, a well-known residential suburb in Polokwane. This is according to clips shared on social media. The vehicles were part of a broader state vehicle disposal, with police present to monitor proceedings.

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South Africa is one of the most crime-affected countries in the world. Many SAPS stations around the country are operating without enough vehicles to respond to emergencies. The timing of the auction left many people deeply uncomfortable, given what they see as a failing police service.

A recent report also found that many SAPS stations do not answer their phones when members of the public call in. That context made the sight of police cars going to the highest bidder a bitter pill to swallow for many South Africans online.

The reaction online was swift and divided. Some people questioned why the vehicles could not be repaired and returned to active service instead. Others warned buyers that the cars were mechanically finished, with worn-out engines and gearboxes not worth the money.

One commenter joked that the only person who would want a branded SAPS vehicle is someone with a dodgy job ahead of them. Others reminded people that SAPS branding is removed before buyers take possession of the vehicles.

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To be clear, these are decommissioned vehicles. They are no longer fit for police use and are being sold off through a legitimate government disposal process. However, that explanation did little to cool tensions online, where South Africans continued to vent about a police service they feel is being stripped bare.

Watch the video below:

More stories involving auctions

• A Joburg woman walked into a Fourways auction house on a Thursday morning with only R30,000 to spend on a car and took Mzansi along for the whole experience.
• A video of a dog being auctioned off left people questioning everything they thought they knew about dog ownership.
• Residents and activists gathered outside the Good Hope Centre to protest Cape Town’s plans to auction public land.

Source: Briefly News