Unmasking the human trafficking crisis in SA

IT IS often said that “the most dangerous threats oftentimes come wearing a friendly face”. It seems this is the case for South Africa, where human trafficking has been ravaging our society of late.

- TSWELOPELE MAKOE

Mere weeks ago, it was widely reported that more than 200 South Africans were currently stranded in Thailand, after having been lured into a sophisticated human trafficking ring with the false promise of employment in Myanmar.

This past week, various South African influencers were entangled in a national uproar after promoting the Alabuga Start programme, which was found to be a human trafficking scheme luring countless young women in with the promise of Russian-based work and education.

What this has actually highlighted is that social media has become a whole new frontier for traffickers, and now more than ever, these dangerous syndicates are hiding in plain sight - behind the guise of innocent likes, shares, and friendly DMs.

This is a frightening reminder that when trust is exploited to funnel youth into dangerous traps, we must question not only the schemes but the systems that allow them to thrive. In our post-apartheid society, human trafficking is often attributed to a combination of gender inequalities and economic disparities and instability.

According to the World Bank, over 60% of the entire nation was living in poverty in 2025. Furthermore, a report by the University of Johannesburg showed that trafficking occurs at a slightly higher rate for girls than boys, with 55.5% of all trafficked South Africans being female, and 44.5% being male. This report further estimated that more than three-quarters of all victims are between the ages of 12-25, highlighting a terrifying reality: that a significant portion of victims are mere children.