Six young girls managed to escape a life of slavery after they were sold into a human trafficking syndicate operating on the Cape Flats.
The girls, who cannot be named, are between the ages of 14 and 18.
Police say each girl was sold for R1 200.
Police explained that the girls were “recruited for work” from the quiet town of Prieska in the Northern Cape almost a month ago by a man known only as Oom Boetie.
The girls were promised work in restaurants, bakeries and shops but instead were groomed for the sex trade.
But a week before the end of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign for No Violence against Women and Children, the whistle was blown on the evil syndicate.
The girls were guests at the campaign’s closing ceremony held in Robinvale, Atlantis.
There the Daily Voice met Dirk Jacobs of law enforcement’s vice squad, who investigated the girls’ case and placed them in the care of Barbara Rass.
Rass is the chairperson of the Atlantis Women’s Movement and runs the House of Healing shelter.
Jacobs said cops made the breakthrough when the oldest girl encouraged the others to escape and go to cops.
“They went to the nearest police station, which was Athlone, and they informed police they needed help,” said Jacobs.
The girls were lured by an unknown male who cops have dubbed “the recruiter”.
They were transported to the Cape Flats by 60-year-old male Oom Boetie, who has since been arrested and charged.
The recruiter is still at large in Prieska,” said Jacobs.
“These girls could have ended up as prostitutes, sex slaves or worked in bars or strip clubs.
“An agreement was made between the recruiter and transporter... each girl was worth R1 200 and the recruiter received R100 for each person (he lured).”
Jacobs said Boetie is from Upington but operates in Bellville.
In an interview with the Daily Voice, the brave girl who encouraged the others to escape is clearly nervous when talking about her ordeal.
Speaking in Afrikaans, she said they met “Oom Boetie” in Prieska. He told them he was looking for girls to work in bakeries and to do house work in Cape Town.
She said that they all went with him - six girls, two men and two women.
Oom Boetie’s brother and sister were also there, the girl said.
The teen said they were then brought to an unknown location on the Cape Flats where they could eat and wash.
But she realised something was wrong when she and the girls were “put on display” for a bunch of men with cash.
“Die mense moet vir ons kies (The people had to choose between us),” she explained.
She recalled that the 15- and 14-year-old were dropped at various locations.
She said she made her escape soon after that.
Meanwhile, Rass said: “The poverty made them vulnerable to crimes like these.
“How can a mother allow a 14-year-old child to come to Cape Town.
“Their parents don’t even know where they are.” - Daily Voice