Police discover ‘Ethiopian’ women at Limpopo lodge, three suspects arrested for human trafficking

A harrowing incident that unfolded in Polokwane, Limpopo has resulted in the arrest of three suspects in connection with human trafficking.

According to the provincial South African Police Service (Saps), the men were nabbed on Friday following the discovery of three women, who are believed to be Ethiopian nationals, at a local lodge.

Bachelor room

The police had acted off a tip-off when they found the women, aged between 20 and 23, hidden in one of the compartments inside in a rented bachelor room.

Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspects had rented the room at the lodge for two days when authorities became suspicious.

He said the women were also taken into custody.

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“The women had passports, but were not stamped and authorised to be in the country legally and were immediately placed under arrest for contravention of the Immigration Act,” Ledwaba said in a statement.

“The three males were nabbed for human trafficking after preliminary investigations indicated that the women were transported from Musina in the Vhembe District and were heading to Gauteng province without valid passports.”

Ledwaba added that three suspects will appear before the Polokwane Magistrates’ Court next week Monday.

They are facing charges related to contravening of the Immigration Act and human trafficking.

15-year-old trafficked to SA

A 53-year-old Mozambican national was arrested in May for trafficking 15-year-old girl to South Africa.

The suspect lured the teenager girl from Mozambique with the promise of a job at his spaza shop in Alexandra, Gauteng.

Police spokesperson Colonel Philani Nkwalase said the victim and her family were told that the suspect’s wife was partially blind and needed help to run the business.

The man had promised to send the family money every month.

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However, upon arriving in Johannesburg, the young girl discovered that the spaza shop did not exist.

“The suspect forced himself on her over the period between January and March 2023. The victim shared her multiple rape ordeal to a fellow Mozambican woman working as a cashier at a local supermarket when she was sent to buy food,” Nkwalase said.

The suspect was nabbed after he was reported to the local police. The case docket was referred to the Hawks for further investigation.