Free State, South Africa - 14 November 2017 - Better data on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) is a priority need and a challenge in South Africa. The absence of relevant legislation, until 2013, is likely to have contributed to confusion about how to identify TIP and SOM cases over the past decade. South Africa is a party to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and the supplementing Protocols on TIP and SOM. It recently adopted the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Person Acts no. 7/2003. A bill on SOM is currently being drafted, and a revision of other policy areas related to migration is also underway. There is currently no systematic collection and analysis of data on TIP and SOM. In terms of trafficking, different departments produce their own statistics, disaggregated according to different parameters. Data collection is also hampered by gaps in the identification TIP victims, particularly those trafficked for purposes other than sexual exploitation.
It is in this context that GLO.ACT, in collaboration with the Central Law Enforcement Unit of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), embarked on a countrywide SOM survey for the past eight months. From 8 - 10 November 2017, GLO.ACT and the DHA continued with the data collection at Maseru Bridge, a port of entry in the Free State province. During the visit, face-to-face interviews were conducted with randomly selected foreign nationals in and around Maseru Bridge. Furthermore, various shelter houses identified in Bloemfontein were also visited as part of the data collection exercise. Overall, 312 questionnaires were completed during those days.
To date, the data collection has taken place in the following places: Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp, Desmond Tutu Refugee Centre in Pretoria, Musina border post in the Limpopo Province, Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga and now the Maseru Bridge in the Free State province.
The key objectives of the SOM survey are:
It is expected that the study will inform policy decisions around migration and also have an impact on the draft SOM legislation that DHA is working on. Other expected outcomes of the survey are:
The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Banele Kunene
National Project Officer
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/
Email: glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act