5 Nigerians arrested for human trafficking in Rustenburg
The Hawks pounced on and arrested five Nigerians for human trafficking after a fruitful raid at a brothel pretending to be a bed and breakfast accommodation.
The Hawks discovered 10 women who were found on the premises working as prostitutes, among the 10 women, six were South Africans, two Lesotho nationals, one Zimbabwean, and one Zambian. Some of the women were still sleeping, while others were already servicing clients.
The culprits were nabbed in Rustenburg and Kuruman on Sunday morning.
All four foreign women had expired passports in their possession at the time of the raids, according to the Hawks.
Northern Cape Hawks spokesperson Nomthandaso Mnisi said some of the women were lured to the brothel and to the country with promises of jobs.
Mnisi said that the five suspects did not live on the three properties.
“Although the women have not confirmed if they work for the suspects, they stay in their property and pay them R500 rent a day.
“We have charged the suspects with alleged trafficking in persons and we are working with the Department of Home Affairs to check their status in the country,” she said.
Mnisi said the youngest of the 10 women is 20 years old while the oldest is 39.
The Zimbabwean woman revealed that some of her colleagues disappeared from the premises after they were lured with promises of hotel housekeeping and cleaning jobs.
Previously Savannanews reported that Foreigners living in South Africa are fearing the return of xenophobia as the #23SeptemberCleanSA campaign hots up.
Fed up with crimes such as human trafficking, drugs as well as unemployment, and few job and business opportunities, South Africa’s youth is gearing towards mass protests slated for 23 and 28 September. They accuse some foreigners of perpetrating crimes in South Africa.
Organisers of the campaign, #PutSouthAfricansFirst movement are calling the South African government to reserve jobs and informal businesses for South Africans as well as deporting illegal immigrants, enacting stricter immigration laws, and tightening borders