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Juxtaposing human rights and human trafficking in South Africa

15 March 2021 | Story Prof Beatri Kruger | Photo Anja Aucamp

Prof Kruger web read more — Prof Beatri Kruger is a research fellow in the Free State Centre for Human Right at the UFS.

John Miller from the United States Office to Monitor Trafficking in Persons calls human trafficking: "The greatest human rights challenge of our generation."

But is this really the current position in South Africa? Let us do a reality check. New evidence-based insights were gained from convictions in several adult, as well as 25 child trafficking cases.

In 2011, Roelofs penned a picture of (sex) trafficking:

"It is a product of an increasing sex obsessed world with billions of dollars being earned from pornographic magazines, television channels and prostitution all because of slumping morality. It is obviously a very lucrative business. Whereas drugs and other narcotic substances can be used only once; a girl used as a sex slave can be sold over and over. This is the tragedy of this cruel exploitation of the vulnerable in our societies."

Exploitation of the vulnerable for financial gain

In 2019, in S v Ediozi Obi (case no CC40/2018), judge Natvarlal Ranchod referred to the above quote and concluded: “This is tragically illustrated in this matter before me …” In this case, several victims were vulnerable young children. They were trafficked, groomed, and repeatedly raped. “They were prostituted for accused 1's financial benefit. It is a sad indictment of certain members of the police force who were expected to bring perpetrators to book but instead, exploited the situation to their own advantage by taking bribes and themselves taking advantage of the young victims. This is some of the evidence that came out in this trial.”

In 2017 in S v Adina Dos Santos, the trafficker was sentenced to life imprisonment, which was confirmed on appeal. The evidence was that the trafficker promised minor Mozambican girls work in her hair salon in South Africa and an opportunity to study while working there. The girls, who were looking for a better life, were eventually threatened and forced to use narcotic drugs and then have sexual intercourse with several men daily. Recently, two female traffickers were sentenced to 19 life sentences in S v Seleso for sexually exploiting a minor girl online by advertising her sexual services to clients on a website.

A multitude of human rights are being violated in human trafficking scenarios. It ranges from violating the right to dignity, privacy, and life, to the right to be free from all forms of violence and not to be treated in a cruel, inhuman, or degrading way. – Prof Beatri Kruger

The trafficking convictions further confirmed that, apart from sex trafficking, victims are also trafficked for other purposes in South Africa. Children as young as eight were trafficked from Mozambique and Nigeria to be exploited for labour purposes. The cases further confirmed that traffickers use an aberrant form of the ukuthwala custom as a guise to traffic minor girls into forced marriages. Furthermore, children were kidnapped and sold. A young mother even advertised her baby on Gumtree for R5 000.

Multitude of human rights are violated in human trafficking

This is a snapshot from our case law. Despite the culture of human rights enshrined in our constitution, it is clear that a multitude of human rights are being violated in human trafficking scenarios. It ranges from violating the right to dignity, privacy, and life, to the right to be free from all forms of violence and not to be treated in a cruel, inhuman, or degrading way. Judge Ranchod rightly declared in S v Obi that human trafficking violates basic human rights and is the cause of immeasurable trauma for victims, their families, and the communities in which they live. Protecting trafficked persons and their human rights is crucial – we have a great task ahead.

News Archive

Researcher shares platform with Nobel Laureate at conference on nanomedicine

2013-01-10

Prof. Lodewyk Kock at the Everest viewpoint with Mount Everest behind him.
10 January 2013

Profs. Lodewyk Kock and Robert Bragg from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS) both presented lectures at the first International Conference on Infectious Diseases and Nanomedicine that was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, late last year.

At the conference, also attended by senior representatives from the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS), Prof. Kock delivered one of the two opening lectures, titled: Introducing New Nanotechnologies to Infectious Diseases (the other opening lecture was presented by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Barry J. Marshal). Prof. Kock also participated in the farewell address.

In two excellent lectures, Prof. Bragg spoke on Bacteriophages as potential treatment option of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and on Bacterial resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds.

For Prof. Kock this very first conference on infectious diseases and nanomedicine was followed by a very exciting yeast research excursion through the Mount Everest Highway which winds through the villages of the Sherpa tribe.

He describes his journey: “The Mount Everest Highway is a rough road stretching through hills and glacial moraines of unfamiliar altitudes and cold temperatures. Throughout the journey I had to take care of not contracting altitude sickness which causes severe headaches and dizziness.

“The only way of transport is on foot, on long-haired cattle called Yaks, donkeys and by helicopter. After flying by plane from Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal), I landed at Lukla, regarded as the most dangerous airport in the world due to its short elevated runway and mountainous surroundings. From Lukla, the land of the Sherpa, I walked (trekked) with my Sherpa guide and porter (carrier) along the Everest Highway surrounded by various Buddhist Mani scripture stands, other Buddhist representations and many spectacular snow-tipped mountains of more than 6 000 m above sea level. Of these, the majestic mountain called Ama Dablam (6 812 m), the grand 8 516 m high peak of Lhotse and to its left the renowned Mount Everest at 8 848 m in height, caught my attention.

“Dwarfed by these mountain peaks on the horizon, I passed various villages until I eventually reached the beautiful village called Namche Bazar, the heart of the Khumbu region and hometown of the Sherpa. This took three days of up to six hours walking per day, while I spent the nights at the villages of Phakding and Monjo. From there I walked along the Dudh Kosi River which stretches towards Mount Everest, until I reached the high altitude Everest viewpoint – the end of my journey, after which I trekked back to Lukla to return to Kathmandu and South Africa.

“This expedition is the first exploration to determine the presence of yeasts in the Everest region. Results from this excursion will be used in collaborative projects with local universities in Nepal that are interested in yeast research.”

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