No payment is required at any stage of the police’s recruitment application process, Gauteng police said on Saturday after two people were arrested this week on corruption charges.

A nationwide recruitment process is underway to attract police trainees between the ages of 18 and 30 for the 2019/2020 basic police learning development programme intake. Applications close on October 31.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said provincial management was concerned by acts corruption that have cropped up during the drive.

This after a 39-year-old Florida constable was arrested on Monday when he was caught selling application forms to aspirant trainees at R3 000 per application.

He faces charges of corruption and fraud.

“Two days later, the anti-corruption investigating unit arrested a 25-year-old man from Freedom Park, Soweto, after management at the provincial head office were made aware of an applicant who came into the police offices and offered, voluntarily, to pay an official R3 000 in exchange for securing a spot on the list of successful applicants,” Peters said.

“The South African Police Service has a zero tolerance approach to corruption in all forms.”

Deputy provincial commissioner for corporate services Major General Patricia Rampota said one of the qualities the police required from prospective trainees was integrity.

“As adamant as we are about rooting out corrupt elements from within our ranks, we will equally not allow or exonerate anyone who employs corrupt means to get into the police.”