Free State Police have arrested 44 illegal immigrants following a tip-off from residents in Bethlehem who complained about a group of men playing soccer outside on Monday.
Level 4 lockdown regulations state that people are only allowed to exercise between 6-9 am and may not be in groups.
Police Spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele says when they arrived at the scene on Tuesday they found a group of about 55 men sitting around and playing soccer.
He says upon further investigation it was discovered that 44 of the men were illegal immigrants from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Brigadier Makhele says the men told police that they were sent to Bethlehem by a certain company in Johannesburg to install Wi-Fi routers in the suburbs.
The men, however, could not say who exactly the contractor was.
Police alerted the Department of Labour and Home Affairs to secure their deportation.
Eleven of the men were confirmed to be South African citizens.
The Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane warned those who come into the country without proper documentation that they will face the full might of the law.
