Men, women and children are enticed across the region's borders with promises of a better life elsewhere only to find themselves, sold into sexually slavery or used as mules in other forms of criminal activity.
With the 2010 Soccer World Cup being hosted in South Africa it is critical that the trafficking of persons is dealt with in a speedy and effective manner. Graeme Hosken's article, 'Trafficking: SA placed on Watch List', published in the Pretoria News on the 28 August 2008, reported that there has been an increase of the number of Thai men being trafficked to South Africa on the pretence of construction work ahead of the 2010 Soccer world Cup.
In recent weeks, there have been a number of high profile arrests related to persons being trafficked from neighboring Mozambique to South Africa. This appears to be a continuation of a long established practice. The 2003 International Organization for Migration report, Seduction, Sale and Slavery: Trafficking in Women and Children for Sexual Exploitation in Southern Africa identified South Africa as the main country of destination for trafficked persons. The source countries are reported to be Lesotho, Mozambique, Eastern Europe and other refugee producing countries. People are brought into the country are mostly brought into sexual slavery or as agricultural laborers.
Politically and economically it may be argued that South Africa is the strongest country in Southern Africa. Yet, its record with regards to the development of legislation to counter-human trafficking is sorely lacking. In eighth annual Trafficking in Persons Report ,the US Department of State, put South Africa on list of countries that are failing to increase their efforts to combat trafficking in persons. South Africa has been on this particular list for four consecutive years.
A few weeks prior to the release of the report, a draft counter- human trafficking Bill was submitted to South Africa's Parliament. Currently, under the Sexual Offences Act, human trafficking for sexual exploitation is the only thing that can be prosecuted. The proposed new legislation would allow for prosecution of all forms of trafficking and protect the victims from prosecution for possible immigration violations or other related offences.
Counter-Trafficking Legislation in the Southern African Region
Incidences of human trafficking with the region are bolstered by the nature of the Southern African region: porous borders, economic disparities, wide spread corruption, and largely ineffective police forces. Thus far 12 of the 14 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, have acceded and/or ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime of 2000 and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (the Palermo Protocol) which obliges ratifying states to develop and implement local legislation criminalizing human trafficking.
Thus far, only one country in the region has implemented counter-trafficking legislation. In April 2008 Mozambique became the first country in SADC to pass a law specifically criminalizing human trafficking. In June 2008, its president, Armando Guebeza signed into law three bills designed to criminalize human trafficking. Ironically, it was the last country to ratify the Protocol.
As an economic giant South Africa, would obviously remain the key destination for human trafficking. The development and implementation of appropriate legislation is a necessity. Sensitizing the community and the police services is also important: the protection of the victim should remain paramount.
