A hospital in South Africa is investigating if a male nurse smuggled placentas out of the facility with a plan to sell them to traditional healers.

The nurse was arrested by police who were on patrol after what they described as suspicious behaviour.

Police said they saw him moving boxes from his car boot to the front seat. They searched the car and said they found placentas inside the boxes.

Police say the nurse told them that he intended to sell the placentas to traditional healers.

Hospital spokesperson Zwide Ndwandwe was quoted on local media as saying that the nurse had been suspended and security at the hospital improved to prevent similar cases.