Is South Africa the hub for human trafficking

A parent’s worst nightmare is having their child stolen or kidnapped.

Having your child stolen or kidnapped is among parents’ worst nightmares. Contrary to what films suggest, it isn’t the millionaires or celebrities who get targeted, but ordinary people. In fact, human traffickers typically look for vulnerable children and women in rural areas or big cities, luring them with false promises and pushing them into forced labour.
Some even illegally remove victims’ organs and sell them. While it sounds like the plot to a movie, or the synopsis of a book, it is a reality we face every day. And sadly, only 1% of victims are rescued, according to A21, a global charity running an SA human trafficking hotline.

A DARK SECRET

Most of this happens without ever being reported, investigated, and punished. South Africa is regarded as the easiest gateway between Europe, America and Asia for African human traffickers, says a UN report. So, while South Africa is home to local trafficking syndicates, it is also host to foreign criminals as a transit country and destination. The true extent of this crisis is difficult to estimate.  

Even when human trafficking is reported to the police, it often gets recorded under a different crime category, such as kidnapping, sexual abuse, or assault. In early 2023, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) released a report to establish the scope of human trafficking in South Africa.   

It records that between mid-August 2015 and mid-January 2022, at least 10 820 cases of human trafficking were reported to the South African Police Service (of which 7140 were adults, 1463 children, and 2217 age unknown). Human trafficking – also classified as ‘modern-day slavery’ – enslaves roughly 12.3 million people worldwide and is one of the fastest growing areas of organised crime. 

SOUTH AFRICA IS THE EASIEST GATEWAY BETWEEN EUROPE, AMERICA AND ASIA FOR AFRICAN HUMAN TRAFFICKERS

FROM ABDUCTION TO ‘LOVERBOY’ METHOD 

While South Africa has a clause in legislation called the “Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act”, it isn’t enforced enough. Experts warn that the problem is deeply embedded in society, because poverty, inequality, gender discrimination and violence against women and children are so normal.   

There are many ways it happens: Sometimes kidnappers snatch their victims by tricking them into following along voluntarily. For example, the perpetrators befriend their victim – in person or via social media – to win their trust before trafficking them into forced domestic servitude, street vending, farm labour, sex trade or adult films, and other demeaning scenarios. In the ‘loverboy’ method, the trafficker fools their victim into falling in love before they sell them into sexual exploitation.  

‘Often the victim’s ID is taken away’, says A21. ‘The internet, especially social networking sites, is the most used tool by traffickers for research and selection of potential victims.’ With the ambiguity of modern day relationships, you can never be too careful of someone’s motives. Stay vigilant and keep your wits about you always. 

How To Keep Your Children Safe

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  Teach them to be careful of adults trying to befriend (both men and women)
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  Be digitally savvy: tighten their social media’s privacy settings and don’t share personal details
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  Check apps and games for chat features that adults can use to make contact with your child
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  Know where your child is and who their friends are
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  Track their digital devices
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  Ask them to be aware of their surroundings and suspicious people or cars
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  Listen to and encourage open conversations with your child

WHERE TO FIND HELP

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  Contact the free 24/7 National Human Trafficking Hotline for anonymous tip-offs and confidential victim support: 0800 222 777 0800222777.org.za