Johannesburg - A group of alleged human traffickers are believed to have lured a KwaZulu-Natal teenager to Gauteng with the promise of a job, only to forcefully feed her drugs and use her as a prostitute.
Police rescued the 18-year-old in the early hours of Sunday from a Randburg house where it was suspected that she had been held captive for the past month.
Her alleged captors have since been arrested and are to be charged with human trafficking when they appear in court.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay
Makhubele said that after officers had received
a tip-off about the incident, they raided the house and freed the teenager, who did not have any visible injuries.
However, Makhubele said the victim was found traumatised and had been taken to a clinic for medical care.
“She has now been taken to a place of safety.”
He explained that the teenager was recruited last month after she was promised a job in Gauteng.
“It is alleged that the victim was recruited from Durban by a 22-year-old girl who promised her a job in the province.”
Makhubele added that instead of starting the job she was promised, the teen was given drugs and used as a prostitute.
He could not immediately say if other girls were also trapped in the same way, but said the matter was under investigation.
“We will get to the bottom of this,” he added.
Those who were arrested include two men aged 29 and 30, as well as two 28-year-old women.
They were all expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court soon.