By: Zahid Jadwat

The  #TheTraffickYouNeedToKnow campaign, initiated by NGOs A21,  the National Freedom Network and Think Creative Africa, has identified several areas in Gauteng as hotspots for the recruitment of human trafficking.

These are: Springs, Benoni, Fordsburg, Krugersdorp, Sunnyside, Vereeniging and Vanderbiljpark. Exploitation areas where victims have been held include Springs, Hillbrow, Randburg, Pretoria, Moreleta Park and Heidelberg.

“There are various areas in South Africa where we’ve seen a rise in trafficking cases. This is [according to] information taken from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which records reported cases. The most prevalent provinces are Gauteng, Western Cape [and] Gauteng, where we’ve had a bulk of these cases reported,” said Lumka Ndungane from A21, in an interview on Radio Islam.

“The different types of human trafficking include trafficking for forced criminal activities, trafficking for sexual exploitation, trafficking for forced labour and trafficking for the removal of organs,” the campaigners said.

“It is modern-day slavery. The more we know about this issue, the more we can protect ourselves, our loved ones and communities. No one person can do everything but every one of us can do something,” said Katie Modrau of A21 SA.

“Apart from sexual exploitation, which is one of the highly prevalent types of trafficking in South Africa, there is forced labour which is very prevalent in the agricultural sector… in the mining industry… where individuals could potentially be brought into the country or trafficked within the borders of South Africa for their labour,” said Ndungane.

She added: “They are being forced to perform labour with no pay – or very minimal pay. Their living conditions are not conducive at all, they are forced to work long hours where there’s no contract in place”.

Listen to the full interview here: