An undocumented Mozambican who was arrested on a farm in Bethal on Saturday, appeared in the Bethal Magistrate’s Court today, facing charges of human trafficking.

The arrest follows a tipoff received by the Hawks about undocumented Mozambicans who were kept on a farm in Bethal. When police arrived, they found six undocumented Mozambicans held against their will.

They told the police that they were recruited from Mozambique and were promised that someone in South Africa would have a job for them.

It is alleged that the victims travelled from Mozambique on May 5 in a blue bakkie. Before they reached the border gate on the Mozambican side, the driver stopped, told them to go and pass through a river while he passed through the border post.

Doing as they were instructed, they met with the driver on the South African side of the border. The driver took them to the farm in the Bethal area where they were handed over to the suspect.

The victims told the police that a recruiter in Mozambique paid the driver of the bakkie R800 for each victim.

The victims alleged that upon arrival at the suspect’s place, they were instructed to cut the grass. They alleged that during the night the suspect took them with a bakkie to steal coal from nearby mines. The suspect said he would pay them R100 only after stealing the coal. He never paid them for other jobs.

Major-General Zodwa Mokoena, provincial head for the directorate for priority crime investigation, applauded the team for their swift response to arrest the suspect and the rescuing of victims who are being kept in a safe place while the investigation continues.

She also commended the public for reporting wrongful activities in their respective communities.