South Africa is the major destination for thousands of children and the human slave trade, mainly originating from neighbouring states each year, according to a conference held on the East Rand. The biggest problem facing those who wish to crack down upon it is that the South African parliament has somehow failed to create legislation against the practice and its implementation in South Africa, said the experts who addressed the conference.

Merab Kiremire of the Southern Africa Network against Trafficking and Abuse of Children (SANTAC) said the traffic was worth about R50 billion per year and that adults and children alike are routinely sold in the human slave traffic for about R216 380 ($30 000) each. When sold, the children are either used as prostitutes or child laborers. According to Kiremire, most of the interventions in human slave trade traffic are from private instances, “because government has not yet come on board.”

“Many of the children from SADAC countries are lured to South Africa by promises of work and better economic conditions. From our records it is clear that as many as 78% of all the children question were sexually assaulted, were violently assaulted and involved in theft and crime, said Santac’s Marina Chichava.

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