Human trafficking victims to testify through intermediary

Advocate Harold Davids said in court that the two children involved in a human trafficking matter grew up in a house of prostitution.

Davids represents the mother accused of advertising sexual services by her children (11 and 13 at the time).

He spoke as the trial against his client and her co-accused, attorney Carel Schoeman, continued in a High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on November 12.

The attorney is accused of buying the 13-year-old from the mother. Schoeman faces 26 charges, the mother 72, and they recently pleaded not guilty to all of them.

The charges against them include rape, sexual abuse of a minor, child trafficking and the pointing of a firearm.

The offences happened in Boksburg, Heidelberg, Brakpan, Springs (Ekurhuleni), Villiers (Free State) and Amanzimtoti and Ramsgate (KwaZulu-Natal) between mid-2022 and early 2023.

Davids cross-examined Karin Botha, a forensic social worker with the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Investigations Unit (FCS) in Germiston, who did forensic competency reports on the minors during court proceedings on November 12.

Botha recommended the two girls testify through an intermediary.

Davids asked if she knew the mother had been a prostitute throughout her eldest daughter’s entire life. Botha could not recall the girl saying her mother was a sex worker before her birth, but she did tell her her mother was a prostitute.

The advocate then asked if the moral values of a child exposed to prostitution her entire life would be the same as a child growing up in different circumstances.

Botha said her mandate was only to obtain a competency report and statement.

Davids also asked if she would find it strange if a child growing up in a house full of criminals began committing crimes.

He said the girl alleged she had already had three pregnancies, but a J88 medical examination showed no pregnancies.

He also asked Botha if she knew about a hand-written letter from the eldest daughter to her mother apologising for her lies.

Schoeman’s advocate, Deon Pool, also cross-examined Botha.

Pool said children growing up in such circumstances develop survival skills and would promote and sell a lie as the truth to survive.

Botha agreed but said the girl found herself in situations beyond her control because of adults. He said the choices they make are based on survival.

The advocate also pointed out that the girl lied about her age to a previous witness, a guesthouse owner.

The forensic social worker told the court that the girl’s statement remained consistent and she did not notice anything out of the ordinary.

The matter continues when the children testify through an intermediary.

Also Read: Human trafficking trial: Sisters tell social worker their mother’s actions ruined their lives