Pretoria - A 40-year-old undocumented Mozambican national was, on Monday, scheduled to appear before the Bethal Magistrate’s Court, after he was arrested by the Hawks serious organised crime investigation unit, based in Secunda, for human trafficking.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the man was arrested on Saturday in Bethal.
“A tip off about young and undocumented Mozambicans, who were kept in a farm around Bethal, was received by the Hawks. The team promptly responded to information and, on arrival at the farm, they found six undocumented Mozambicans who complained to the police that they were recruited from Mozambique and were promised that someone in South Africa had a job for them,” said Sekgotodi.
“The victims alleged that they travelled from Mozambique on May 5 in a blue bakkie and, before they reached the border gate from the Mozambican side, the driver stopped and told them to go and pass through the river, while he passed through the border post,” said Sekgotodi.
The six did as they were instructed, and they met the driver at the other side of the river, in South Africa.
“He took them to Bethal, to a farm, where they were handed over to the suspect. The victims further told the police that the driver of the bakkie was paid R800 for each victim by a recruiter in Mozambique,” said Sekgotodi.
“The victims further alleged that, on arrival at the suspect’s place, they were instructed to cut the grass and, during the night, the suspect took them with a bakkie to steal coal from the nearby mines and he would only pay them R100 after stealing the coal, but never paid them for other jobs,” added Sekgotodi.
Meanwhile, provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga Major General Zodwa Mokoena has applauded the team for the “swift response to arrest the suspect and rescue the victims, who are being kept in a safe place” while investigations continue.
She further commended the public for reporting wrongful activities in their respective communities.
IOL