Repatriation of trafficked South Africans highlights ongoing human trafficking issues

Twenty-three South Africans who were trafficked to Myanmar last year with the promise of lucrative job opportunities were repatriated back home on Thursday and are undergoing screenings, interviews, and medical checks before being transported back to their families.

The repatriation of these victims was part of the bilateral cooperation agreement to combat human trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime signed by the Kingdom of the Republic of Thailand and South Africa in 2023.

Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the 23 South Africans formed part of 7 000 other individuals from various countries who were rescued from compounds during a raid in February.

Earlier this month, seven of 32 identified South African victims returned safely to South Africa.

Phiri said before leaving South Africa last year, these men and women were lured to Thailand under false pretences by an employment agency that promised them lucrative jobs advertised on various social media platforms.

“These adverts promised the victims good salaries, free accommodation, comprehensive travel expenses, and other lucrative benefits. Once in Thailand, they were transported to Myanmar against their will,” he said.

According to Phiri, the victims were held captive for more than four months in a cybercrime compound in Myanmar, which borders Thailand.

He said they endured brutal treatment, including intimidation, physical torture, and forced labour.

“They were also compelled to engage in illicit activities, including online scams that targeted individuals worldwide.”

Describing the ordeal, Phiri said the victims were kept under constant armed guard and forced to work 16 hours a day. If they refused, they were beaten and tortured. They were given spoiled food and contaminated water, and they had no access to medical treatment. A ransom of approximately R50 000 was demanded for their release.

The Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) have conducted the initial screening of the victims to verify their identity and family information.

“Social workers from the DSD will assist the DPCI in executing further screening interviews with the South African nationals, as they were not officially screened in Myanmar or Thailand. For some individuals, it might be necessary to obtain medical assistance before the screening interviews,” said Phiri.

Following the screening interviews, the DPCI will transport the victims to health facilities to undergo health screenings. “Medical practitioners will assess them for any physical injuries suffered while they were held hostage in Myanmar to determine the need for medical assistance,” Phiri said.

He said that in addition to ongoing psychosocial support, the DSD will provide temporary accommodation for those from outside Gauteng, enabling them to reunite with their families and next of kin.

“The DPCI will transport the victims living in Gauteng to their homes after the screening interviews and health screenings are conducted,” he said.

The 2024 United Nations Global Report on Trafficking in Persons reveals that human trafficking relentlessly targets vulnerable individuals, as evidenced by both persistent and emerging trends.

According to the report, women and girls remain the biggest share of detected victims worldwide, accounting for 61% of the total in 2022.

The report found that the dynamics of trafficking in persons are also changing.

“It is becoming an increasingly global and transnational phenomenon, with more nationalities and more countries of destination detected than before. A third of all cross-border human trafficking flows involve citizens of Africa, where the impact of crises has been particularly stark, and where there are more people at risk than anywhere else.”

The Government of South Africa is making significant efforts to eliminate trafficking, but according to the US Department of State's 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: South Africa, it does not yet fully meet the minimum standards.

“The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period; therefore South Africa was upgraded to Tier 2.”

The report found that the government bolstered its anti-trafficking measures by increasing prosecutions of traffickers, identifying and referring more victims to protective services, and expanding the number of shelters available to victims.

Additionally, three agencies were added to the National Inter-ministerial Committee for Trafficking in Persons (NICTIP) to enhance collaborative efforts.

“However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. Agencies responsible for identifying, referring, and certifying trafficking victims lacked coordination, and knowledge gaps in understanding human trafficking and referral Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) likely hindered overall protection efforts,” stated the report.

In an update on Saturday, Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, national spokesperson for the DPCI, also known as the Hawks, said medical assessments were conducted on some of the alleged victims of trafficking from Myanmar.

Mbambo stated that some still suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their ordeal and only wanted to be reunited with their families.

“Every one of the suspected victims has been reunited with their family members.”

She advised that suspected victims will continue to receive psychosocial support before any statements can be obtained from some of the possible victims.

karen.singh@inl.co.za