Human trafficking: ‘Sophisticated’ syndicates operating with government assistance

As South Africa grapples with the global scourge of human trafficking – the latest incident having been the discovery this week of yet another group of Ethiopians held hostage in a Lombardy East home – experts have put the blame on the country’s dysfunctional immigration system and corrupt state officials.

According to Gauteng police, 32 of the 50 Ethiopians who escaped from the house are in custody.

Political economist Dale McKinley said South Africa was dealing with a worldwide problem, with the closure of borders proving ineffective in Europe and the US.

Calling for a holistic approach, McKinley said human trafficking involved “very sophisticated syndicates, able to operate with government assistance”.

Human trafficking ‘not a border issue’

This, said McKinley, was done with cooperation by border control, Home Affairs and other state officials, “who provide false documents or look the other way to get bribes”.

“We are largely dealing with an immigration and not a border issue, related to the functionality of the Home Affairs Department on the issuing of proper documentation, digitalisation of records, mismanagement and corruption.

“What is fundamental is getting an immigration system that is right and getting people working in that system who are dedicated to making it work,” he said.

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On the county’s porous borders, he said: “Europe has shown that this is not workable and the US has shown that you can build as many walls as possible – putting as much security and fences, but you are not going to stop people migrating.

“The (Donald) Trump perspective on borders has proven neither feasible nor practical.

“There may be problems with certain border areas, but you are not going to secure the border and solve the problem by merely putting up a fence in Beitbridge or along the Zambezi River.”

SA’s foreign policy

South Africa’s foreign policy towards the rest of Africa had to reflect “a holistic approach in terms of immigration reform on a range of issues”.

“The foreign policy should reflect a perspective that tries to help people trying to fight dictatorial and oppressive regimes, from which they are escaping economic downturns,” said McKinley.

Organised crime and corruption

Institute for Security Studies (ISS) senior researcher Gareth Newham agreed with McKinley that organised crime and corruption was at the core of human trafficking.

Said Newham: “We saw a welcome development this week, when Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber launched the Border Management Ant-Corruption Forum – also mentioning a number of arrests and convictions made in the department.

“This shows that, even a relatively-new agency like the Border Management Authority, has already been infiltrated by criminal syndicates.

“According to the minister, these are highly sophisticated syndicates that pay off government officials and border management guards.

“Once you have a significant corruption problem in Home Affairs and Border Management, syndicates are going to move people, guns and goods across the border.

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“We need to see a much greater effort in tackling corruption, with far greater resources going to the Hawks, NPA and the Asset Forfeiture Unit, to counter corruption.

“Right now, these law-enforcement units operate at half the size required.

“Billions of rands are now lost due to illegal goods going through the borders unchecked.

“We need to invest in these agencies to see the results – a large number of corrupt officials being arrested and going to jail.”

The Border Management Authority was established “to address the issue of porous borders”.

“Although its effectiveness will take a bit of time to be seen, the authority seems to be improving things in some respects.

“Securing such long borders is difficult, due to some leakages – something which could be left to the military,” he added.

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