Speaker,
Honourable Members,
We are all concerned about human trafficking. We are concerned about our children that are being kidnapped and abused. And we have to send a strong message out there to the potential abusers that their time is running out. Their time is running out. There are going to be changes that will ensure that they get the harshest punishment possible.
Recent reports reveal that social media platforms are being weaponised by trafficking syndicates to lure vulnerable women with promises of overseas employment. Despite refutation by the Russian Embassy in South Africa, these offers are for jobs particularly in Russia. These offers, often promoted by influencers, are not sanctioned by any government entity and have been linked to exploitative labour practices, including drone manufacturing under coercive conditions.
These are not opportunities — they are traps. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has confirmed that no bilateral agreements exist to support such programmes. The Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2013 (Act No. 7 of 2013), criminalises all forms of trafficking, including recruitment through deception and exploitation across borders.
Our unemployment rate for young women is very high. This desperation is being exploited. In March, DIRCO repatriated South Africans from Myanmar who were lured into cyber-scam operations under false pretences. The victims responded to fake advertisements that promised high salaries and easy work, only to find themselves trapped in remote compounds with their passports confiscated. They face torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and even organ harvesting in extreme cases. These are not isolated incidents — they are part of a global trafficking network.
The ACDP calls on government to empower women in this country with good education and employment opportunities so that they would not be tempted to take offers from organisations that are not credible. We agree with you, Honourable Minister, that young people should exercise extreme caution when engaging with unsolicited offers for international employment and that genuine brokers do not charge fees for job placements. As the ACDP, we call for immediate public awareness campaigns targeting vulnerable youth, teaching about online dangers, mandatory verification protocols for international job offers, and prosecution of individuals and entities promoting fraudulent recruitment.
We must protect the safety and futures of our young women. Economic hardship must never be a gateway to modern slavery.
Let us act decisively, not only in words but in law, enforcement, and compassion.
