…..AS 90 Undocumented Ethiopians Rescued in Johannesburg
By Delicious Mathuthu
Johannesburg – South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday, (4/08/2024) rescued 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals who were being held against their will in Sunnydale Ridge, Johannesburg, Kwedu News has learnt.
The discovery was made by a hybrid policing team that was tracing a victim of kidnapping for ransom.
“A victim of kidnapping for ransom was being traced by a multidisciplinary team led by the STF when they stumbled upon the undocumented nationals who were found locked up, confined and packed into rooms,” Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, SAPS Spokesperson said.
The Ethiopian nationals were found in inhuman conditions, prompting an immediate response from the authorities and medical checkups.
“The Ethiopian nationals were all taken to hospital for medical care,” said Brigadier Mathe.
Two of the alleged human traffickers and kidnappers were arrested on the property and are expected to face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
They will appear before the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court soon.
Brigadier Mathe said the operation was a collaborative effort between various units, including crime intelligence, organised crime detectives, Sandringham and Daveyton SAPS, as well as private security.
“This operation would not have been successful without the work of these units,” she said.
The case has been handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (HAWKS) for further investigations.
“Investigations are underway as to how these nationals were trafficked into SA,” Bigadier Mathe said.
The majority of the victims shown in the photographs taken by SAPS are male.
The rescue of the Ethiopian nationals is a significant breakthrough in the fight against human trafficking and kidnapping in South Africa, which is one of the global hotspots.
More than half of the total kidnapping cases in South Africa so far have been reported from Gauteng Province, where Johannesburg is, with an average of over 7,800 cases annually, Richard Hood, Chief Executive Officer of OLEA Insurance Solutions-South Africa says.
South African crime statistics say over 4,500 cases of kidnappings were recorded in one quarter last year (2023) making South Africa one of the highest in such cases.
Only six countries in the world have higher kidnapping and ransom incidents than South Africa, Hood said.
The country also recorded a 30% increase in cases of kidnapping over the last decade, the main reasons being ransom, human trafficking and extortion, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) says.
While reports say kidnapping for ransom makes only 5% of criminal cases in South Africa, it still translates to about two people being kidnapped per day.
An average of about 16,000 kidnappings are recorded annually in South Africa.
It is estimated that 12,000 to 15,000 kidnappings for ransom are reported annually worldwide.
Between 70-80% of these kidnappings result in the victims being released, often after a ransom payments.
Estimated annual ransom payments range from US$500 million to US$1 billion.
Africa accounts for about 25-30% of total global kidnappings for ransom annually, with Latin America recording the highest, between 40-50%.
Asia accounts for between 15-20%, Europe 5-10% with North America recording the lowest, between 2-5%.
On human trafficking, the United Nations shows that about 40 million people are currently trapped in modern slavery, with 27.6 million exploited for labour, 17.3 million in forced marriage, and 4.8 million in forced sexual exploitation globally.
However, only 29% of trafficked victims are men and boys while 71% are women and girls.
About 16 million, or 64%, are in forced labour such as domestic work, construction or agriculture, while 4 million, 16%, are in forced labour imposed by state authorities, the global entity said.
The world, through the United Nations has also set aside 30 July every year to commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness on the plight of victims of human trafficking and to promote efforts to combat the heinous crime.
Human trafficking is also a serious violation of human rights, affecting millions of people worldwide involving the use of force, fraud or coercion.
