PORT ELIZABETH, February 9 (ANA) – Several young girls who were allegedly abducted and forced into prostitution have in all probability been scarred for life, some having died or having undergone abortions, as a result of the actions of an alleged human trafficking syndicate which operated in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
Details of a heart wrenching sequence of events unfolded in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, during the trial against two women charged with the sexual exploitation of young women and children.
Two of the victims, who were disabled, had been reported missing at KwaNobhule police station by their parents in 2012.
According to the charge sheet, the State alleges that the women were trafficked and forced into prostitution at a secret brothel which had been in operation at Fairview in Port Elizabeth.
It’s understood that the victims came from extremely impoverished communities.
According to the State, the girls were kept in a house which operated like a business and involved “paying customers”. The victims were allegedly sexually exploited so that the recruiters could benefit monetarily .
The State further alleges that the brothel was operational as far back as 2006.
Captain Brenda Magwanqana, a commander at the Human Trafficking Task Team within the police’s Organised Crime Unit, on Thursday told the court the case was initially opened during July 2012, with the investigation only starting eight months later.
The court heard how the two disabled girls were cared for at a “safe house” and as investigations unfolded, two women, Nombuyiselo Matini, 47, and Nolubabalo Mboya, 21, were eventually arrested.
“We were told by a social worker that [one of the girls] was pregnant but they terminated [the pregnancy]. We didn’t know about the pregnancy, the social worker just called to say this child is pregnant,” said Magwanqana.
Magwanqana indicated to the court that during December last year, one girl lost her grandmother, while the other victim died. It is understood that some other women and children who were victims of the alleged crimes, have also since died.
The victims cannot be named to protect their identity.
Matini, who allegedly managed the brothel, is facing a string of charges, which include racketeering, keeping a brothel, living on the earnings of prostitution, the commercial sexual exploitation of a child, trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation, procuration and two counts of sexual exploitation of a mentally disabled person.
Her co-accused, Mboya, 21, is facing charges which include racketeering, trafficking, procuration and two counts of sexual exploitation of a mentally disabled person.
The charge of procuration falls under the Sexual Offences Act where a person procures or attempts to procure another to have sexual intercourse with any other person or persons whose identities are unknown to the State.
Mboya is currently out on bail while Matini remains in custody.
The case was postponed until March 22 for the continuation of the trial.
– African News Agency (ANA)
