Human trafficking in South Africa

Abstract

Human trafficking is a world-wide problem with tens of millions of victims. Fuelled by a lethal mix of poverty, inequality, mass migration, (especially undocumented migration), trans-governmental corruption and digital communications that decrease the distance between victim and perpetrator, human trafficking, modern slavery, or TIP (trafficking in persons), has become one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time. Proliferating from its initial concentration points in underdeveloped parts of South and South East Asia, TIP, (our preferred term), now embraces the entire globe. This includes the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Africa - where Southern Africa has the dubious distinction of now emerging into the top-ten world-wide routes for this type of criminal abuse.

This book provides an analysis of the development and incidence of TIP in the Republic and its subcontinent, mainly but not entirely because of events between the collapse of apartheid and the present situation at the beginning of the third quarter of the 21st century. This involves (a) defining the nature of TIP; (b) analysing its main expressions in sex, child, labour, and organ trafficking); (c) assessing their social impact; and evaluatingthe remedies available in various counter-trafficking programs emerging in Southern African countries in recent years.

Within this context it also examines the 4xP formula used in most trafficking studies to delineate and understand the subject. These refer to programs to address TIP in a preventative capacity, to protect its victims, to prosecute the perpetrators, and to develop Counter-Trafficking Coalitions (CTC���s), or partnerships, between the state and civil society to address these heinous crimes as both law enforcement and public policy level.

Particular attention is given to these issues in the light of the need to re-empower victims, ongoing globalisation, climate change and a post-COVID world which has increased the number of vulnerable persons while reducing the capacities of law enforcement systems.