MPs to probe child trafficking

2002-05-22 17:26

Cape Town - Parliament's committee on the improvement of quality of life and status of children on Wednesday called for more information about the extent of child trafficking in South Africa days after Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula denied its prevalence.

The committee was due to have received a briefing from government on a report from child rights organisation, Molo Songololo, which researched the phenomenon and concluded that South Africa was emerging "as a key role player in the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children".

However, in written reply to a parliamentary question last week, Nqakula said this claim was devoid of all truth.

"This phenomenon is not prevalent in South Africa, neither can South Africa be described as a 'key roleplayer' in respect of this particular crime," he said.

Referring to Molo Songololo's briefing to MPs last month, acting committee chair Tsietsi Setona (ANC) on Wednesday noted the presentation had been made by a non-governmental organisation.

At this stage MPs were not in a position to justify the extent or magnitude of the child trafficking in South Africa.

He said it would be necessary to interact with the departments of Social Development and Safety and Security to have a sense of what was going on.

Only then could the committee report on the issue, Setona said.

Molo Songololo director Zurayah Abass said on Wednesday it was tragic that Nqakula believed her organisation's research was not sufficient for him to take immediate action.

The report was based on research in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg, had documented 15 cases of child trafficking.

It had also appeared on the government's website.

On the suggestion that Nqakula was trying to protect South Africa's image, she said: "If his priority is the way the world is seeing us, then he should be seen to be dealing with the problems we're faced with."

Addressing MPs last month, Molo Songololo spokesperson Debora Mobilyn told MPs the trafficking of South African children was "predominantly an in-country phenomenon". However, there was also sufficient evidence of cross-border trafficking into South Africa.

Parents the main traffickers

The main traffickers were the children's own parents and local gangs, who sometimes colluded.

The reason for an increase in the phenomenon locally lay primarily with the country's economic situation.

The trade in children was linked to the illegal trade in guns and drugs and to prostitution.

Last week a parliamentary task group on the sexual abuse of children noted the finding of the South African Law Commission's project committee that South African children were increasingly being trafficked by their own parents into slavery or prostitution in order to generate income or to pay off a debt.

The task group's draft report urged the SALC to proceed as speedily as possible with drafting proposals for a new Sexual Offences Act, which should include a general provision that criminalised the trafficking in children.

- SAPA