SA child trafficking horror

2003-12-16 21:54

Elsabe Brits

Cape Town - The kidnapping and trafficking of children, child pornography and prostitution has become one of the biggest sources of revenue for gangs and syndicates in the Mother City, Johannesburg and Durban.

These findings followed a survey conducted by Molo Songololo, a non-governmental organisation fighting against the abuse of children.

The study, which looked at the trafficking of South African children for sexual purposes found that often they were forced into prostitution by parents, family friends, taxi drivers, gangs, syndicates and brothel owners.

Girls between the ages of 12 and 16-years-old were the most vulnerable. They are being abducted in broad daylight at shopping centres, taxi ranks and schools.

Often the children are gang raped and forced into prostitution. They are hit, threatened and drugged. They are kept prisoner and often watched over by "guards". To escape is not easy and some are even killed, said Molo Songololo in a report.

According to the organisation, rapes and assaults were often filmed and sold as pornography.

Children are forced to take drugs so as to become reliant on their abductors. They also have to sell drugs to clients and are encouraged to steal from them.

The group's research also shows that often gangs exchange girls for weapons and turf.

Many of the victims that do manage to escape refuse to speak of their experiences.

The organisation said its investigation shows that trafficking in children was on the increase.

One of the biggest downfalls in South African law is that it does not have a law against human trafficking.

- Die Burger