Two Zimbabweans Charged With Human Trafficking In South Africa
Two Zimbabwean nationals were set to appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court in South Africa today, 7 December, on charges of human trafficking.
The suspects were found on a long-distance bus with undocumented minors in their company – eight boys and six girls aged six to 14 years.
The Zimbabwean nationals, comprising a man and a woman, were arrested by a multi-disciplinary team comprising of Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Kimberley Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit and Kimberley Crime Prevention, according to Hawks spokesperson, Lt Col. Tebogo Thebe.
News24 reported Thebe as saying the suspects in the latest case, a male (46) and female (41) were seen boarding a bus in Midrand with the children. Said Thebe:
Police were alerted to the incident by a vigilant passenger on the bus en route to Cape Town.
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The bus made a stopover in Kimberley and the passenger called an off-duty police officer who in turn alerted the multi-disciplinary team for investigation and arrest.
The suspects claimed to be taking the kids to their parents in Cape Town, information the police could not verify leading to the arrests.
The victims (children) were inspected and looked dirty without any additional clothes or bags and looked hungry.
The Provincial Trafficking in Persons Rapid Response Team, led by the Department of Social Development, was contacted to assist with placing the kids in a place of safety and providing them with food.
According to unverified claims made on social media, the concerned passenger on the bus noticed that the children were not excited or noisy like children would act when going on holiday.
The children were reportedly very quiet, and the passenger noticed that during bus breaks, the children did not get off the bus.
This prompted the passenger to contact the police, who intercepted the bus in Kimberley.
More: Pindula News
