The country’s borders should be better patrolled and security on the N1 improved to detect human trafficking. This was just one of the many proposals made during a recent meeting on human trafficking in Louis Trichardt.

Human trafficking is now considered as the third-largest source of profit in the trans-national crime industry, with only drug trafficking and weapon smuggling being more lucrative.

It is estimated that one million humans are trafficked annually. But behind every statistic there is a face, a vulnerable individual who is exploited instead of being protected, who is dehumanised instead of being respected. Human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings, often children, by selling them for sex, bonded labour or domestic servitude.

In the run-up to the Fifa World Cup Soccer in the country next year, human trafficking has the attention of many, both for evil and for good. Among the latter are those who raise awareness for the possibility of human trafficking in the region, who mobilise the public to assist victims and to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.

A task team, STOP Human Trafficking, was formed after a meeting at the SAPS Makhado. Limpopo Province has established a Human Trafficking Unit, but the SAPS in Louis Trichardt has had no specialised desk to date. The meeting took place on November 19. Experts from different spheres met and discussed the way forward. Louis Trichardt will be affected by the human trafficking passing through from the northern borders to Gauteng. Unscrupulous people also target poor areas, such as the Vhembe district, to lure victims with false prospects of making money in the cities and trap them as sex slaves.

“We need effective border control and the border security must improve drastically,” the task team said. Vhembe District Cllr Jackey Underwood will obtain information on the process of the transfer of the border patrol from the SAPS to the De-fence Force.

Capt Maano Sadike of the Makhado SAPS and Mr André Weideman, Chief Prosecutor for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), were tasked to contact various relevant stakeholders to create awareness on human trafficking.

A need for a safe house, as well as social workers and volunteers who will assist the victims, was identified. It was decided that a data-base should be compiled on existing resources to prevent duplication.

“Tshilidzini Hospital already has an existing trauma centre. The other hospitals are interested to establish a trauma centre,” said Capt Danelle Fourie of the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

The problem of street children was also discussed during the meeting, with a clear message not to give these children money, but hope.

At present, the local Catholic Church accommodates many of these children. The children require specialised care and the Catholic Church have no qualified volunteers except for a qualified teacher who has availed herself to educate the children. It was said that child victims must be educated as part of the rehabilitation program.

A public meeting in Louis Trichardt was scheduled for January 14 next year.

“An NPA representative will address the public and a play to raise awareness will be staged,” the team decided. Dr Johan van Rensburg of the Sector Policing Forum and pastor of the AFM in Louis Trichardt was appointed chairperson of the task team.