'Sex-slavers might target SA'
2005-04-07 23:01
Elsabé Brits
Cape Town - Syndicates trading in humans are hitting on tsunami victims, and the possibility exists that destitute women and children could be brought to South Africa, especially as sex slaves.
Karen Blackman of the South African regional office for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said: "If people trafficking in humans had to choose a country in Africa, it would be South Africa.
"There is a possibility that tsunami victims have, or would have, been brought here as sex slaves, but no instances have been recorded yet.
"However, it would be difficult to accomplish," she said.
"South Africa is popular in the human-trafficking industry since it has a good infrastructure and because the economy can support the sex industry.
Tsunami kids are 'anonymous'
"Here, too, syndicates have access to sophisticated banking services which are not as readily available in the rest of Africa."
Blackman said that, in Africa, South Africa was the best place for them to be.
According to the IOM's latest newsletter, Eye on Human Trafficking, the tsunami children are especially vulnerable since they no longer have identity documents and syndicates are abusing this.
The newsletter said syndicate members used the chaos of a disaster to their advantage to hit on victims.
- Die Burger