Community Safety
With regard to increased incidents of human trafficking:
- (a) What programmes are in place (i) to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking and (ii) to prevent human trafficking in the province and (b) what is the number of (i) women and (ii) children who have been reported missing and/or who have fallen victim to human trafficking in the Western Cape between 2019 and 2020 to date;
- whether there are any special operations in place to prevent and investigate cases of human trafficking; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether there are any victims of human trafficking who have been saved in the province in (a) 2019 and (b) 2020 to date; if so, (i) what are the relevant details and (ii) what was his Department’s involvement?
The South African Police Services informed me as follows:
8. (1) (a) (i) Awareness campaigns are conducted at schools, malls and police stations and pamphlets are distributed amongst the community. Radio talk shows and Imbizos are used as platforms to raise awareness.
(ii) Engagements are conducted with external role players e.g. Department of Social Development, Department of Education, Department of Health as well as NGO’s, spiritual leaders and the NPA to raise awareness amongst the community.
(b) (i) The question should be directed to the Directorate Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
(ii) The question should be directed to the DPCI.
(2) Tracing operations are conducted at truck stops and raids are held at clubs. DPCI are also responsible for the investigation of human trafficking cases.
(3) (a) The question should be directed to the DPCI.
(b) The question should be directed to the DPCI.
(i) The question should be directed to the DPCI.
Minister of Community Safety
(3) (ii) The department currently does not have a targeted focus on human trafficking which forms part of the Organised Crime category. The department is currently in the process of consulting the SAPS on their Safer City Strategy (SCS) where extortion in the main was identified as a priority. Human Trafficking is but one of the activities within the organised crime environment which will be discussed as part of the SCS of the SAPS.
