PoliceMinister, Fikile Mbalula, has personally paid for the flight of a 27-year-old South African woman rescued from human traffickers in Malaysia.
TheHawks said Saturday that the South African woman was one of nine alleged sex trafficking victims lured to Malaysia by a Zimbabwean national, who is now under arrest in that country.
According to the Hawks the women were duped into believing that they would be taking part in a beauty pageant in Kuala Lampur.
Spokesperson,Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said that when the women arrived in the Malaysian capital they were told that the show had been cancelled “and they were held hostage in the hotel room.”
“The 27-year-old victim managed to make a frantic phone call to her brother who then contacted theMinister of Police, Fikile Mbalula,” Mulaudzi said.
He said Minister Mbalula referred the matter to the authorities and the Hawks immediately took a leading role in the case.
“The Hawks contactedInterpol SA who immediately contacted their Malaysian counterparts. TheMalaysian police accompanied by their Anti-Human Trafficking Task Team swooped into the hotel and fortunately managed to rescue the desperate ladies,” said the Hawks spokesperson.
He said it is understood that the women were going to be smuggled to different parts of the world for sex trafficking.
“All the victims were taken to a safe place and the South African embassy in Malaysia took her in to their care. Preparations have been made for the other girls to be flown home,” Mulaudzi said.
"Meanwhile, Minister Mbalula has personally paid for the 27 year old South African’s flight home and she is expected to land at OR Tambo International Airport tomorrow (Sunday) evening," he said,
The Acting Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lieutenant- General Yolisa Matakata has congratulated Brigadier Scott Naidoo and his Interpol Team for their swift response in rescuing the victims.
“Human trafficking must be defeated and I would like to urge parents and the rest of our communities to be wary of friendly empathic strangers who entice people with job and education opportunities,” he said.
