Matatiele police have arrested two suspects, aged 40 and 20, in connection with human trafficking and illegal immigration involving ten children. The arrests took place after community tip-off about a man seen with a group of children near a fuel station in town.
Upon investigation, officers discovered that the older suspect, a Lesotho national without valid documents, claimed he was taking the children to their mothers in Pietermaritzburg. However, the children told police they did not know the man. They revealed he had taken them from Qacha’s Nek in Lesotho under false promises of reuniting them with their mothers. The group reportedly crossed into South Africa illegally near Paqama.
The suspects face charges under the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act and the Immigration Act. They are currently in custody and are expected to appear in the Matatiele Magistrate’s Court.
The children have been placed in a safe location under the care of the Department of Social Development. Authorities are continuing investigations to determine the full scope of the trafficking operation.
Acting Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso, praised the community members for their vigilance and the police for their quick response. “This swift action may have spared these children from serious harm. We encourage the public to report any suspicious activity to their nearest police station or anonymously through Crime Stop on 08600 10111,” she said.
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