NELSPRUIT – The Hawks have confirmed that a human-trafficking case has been opened after a foreign woman was recently rescued by a local family. The crime-fighting unit’s spokesman, Capt Paul Ramaloka could not establish Ms Anna Kreller’s nationality at the time of going to print, as it was still unclear whether she was an American or British citizen.
According to an inside source, the Hawks’ special human investigating team and an official from the British and American embassies were working on the case.
Kreller was rescued on Wednesday when a Nelspruit resident, who was driving in Springs, saw her being manhandled. She said she had been lured to South Africa seven years ago under false pretences and didn’t know where she was, as it was the first time she had managed to escape.
After she was rescued, Kreller was arrested by police for being in the country illegally. At the time of going to print, it was not clear whether or not she was still in police custody.
After Lowvelder published the article, more shocking cases have come to light. A South African woman, Ms Nicolene Fourie, was apparently kidnapped for the sex trade. She went missing on March 30 from Boksburg. She claimed that three men had abducted her and put her into the boot of an Audi 400SL. According to her family, she had been taken to Margate to a warehouse where they allegedly locked her in a container with other women. She apparently escaped and notified the police. At the time of going to print, police in Gauteng had not yet verified this.
Beeld also revealed that a 37-year-old mother of five had had a narrow escape last week in Springs after she had also been used as a sex worker after being sold for R1 000.
She had been on her way to do shopping last Saturday morning when a car stopped in front of her. “A Nigerian jumped out and pointed a gun at me and told me to get into the car.” She said he had picked up a friend in downtown Springs before driving to Rosettenville in Johannesburg. “They parked outside a club where I pleaded with them to allow me to return to my husband and children.” Her abductor had taken her to the Kingsnoria building in High Street.
According to Beeld, after she had managed to escape, the police accompanied her to the building and two suspects were arrested.
