Johannesburg - The Gauteng provincial government is on high alert to human trafficking after an upsurge in sporadic incidences in the last three months.
The Department of Social Development and the high commissioner of Ghana repatriated more than 23 boys who were trafficked to Gauteng three months ago. The ringleaders brought them under the pretext that they would be attending sports development courses.
Last week, officials of the Gauteng Social Development Department and Department of Home Affairs immigration officers raided various brothels where Thai women were arrested for being in the country illegally. Others were allegedly trafficked into South Africa and Gauteng for prostitution.
On Monday, Social Development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza and her senior officials dealing with international and domestic human trafficking briefed the media about their efforts to combat human trafficking.
“We note with sadness that our country, and our province in particular, are used as origin, transit and destination of trafficked persons. Many people are exploited in the worst ways possible - a daily violation of their human rights,” Mayathula-Khoza said.
“Trafficking in persons - also known as modern-day slavery - is hideous and multi-layered, which is difficult to identify and prosecute.” She said that due to the upsurge in the number of cases reported, a co-ordination and victim empowerment management team - comprising officials from the departments of Justice, Home Affairs and the SAPS - had been set up.
Officials said that three months ago, they lobbied funds to provide return air tickets for 23 boys, aged between six and 16, to Ghana. It appeared that their ringleader was living in Cape Town and was being sought.
Some of the Thai women who were arrested last week have apparently lodged civil actions against the Department of Home Affairs, following their arrest at two brothels.
Mayathula-Khoza and her officials said many girls living in the periphery and rural areas of Gauteng were lured from their homes for prostitution in the CBDs of Joburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.
Mozambican girls were lured to Carletonville on the West Rand and Tembisa in Ekurhuleni to be made housewives.
The revelations emerged after the Hawks arrested 167 Malawians in North West, Free State and Limpopo in July and the first week of August. Some of them were trafficked to work on various Eastern Cape farms. The Hawks also arrested their handlers, who were facing various criminal charges, including human trafficking.
“The performance data on the number of victims of human trafficking who accessed psychological services is low, and this is a cause for concern.
“This might not be a true reflection of the prevalence of human trafficking,” Mayathula-Khoza said.
The Star