| Matatiele SAPS arrests two for human trafficking and illegal immigration involving ten children | |
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| Date Published | |
| 2025/06/15 | |
| Details | |
Media Statement
EASTERN CAPE - Police in Matatiele arrested two male suspects (aged 40 and 20) on Saturday, 14 June 2025, for human trafficking and illegal immigration involving ten children. The arrests followed a swift response to a tip-off regarding an adult male with ten children near a Matatiele CBD fuel station. The 40-year-old suspect, a Lesotho national without valid documentation, claimed he was transporting the children to their mothers in Pietermaritzburg. However, the children contradicted this, stating they did not know the man and that he had taken them from Qacha's Nek, Lesotho, under false pretences of reuniting them with their mothers. They confirmed illegal entry into South Africa via an unofficial crossing near Paqama. Cases of Human Trafficking (Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act) and Illegal Immigration (Immigration Act) were registered. Both suspects are in custody and will appear before the Matatiele Magistrate's Court soon. The ten children have been placed in a safe location by the Department of Social Development and are receiving care. The investigation continues to uncover the full extent of the trafficking operation.
Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso, commended the vigilant community member and police for their swift action, "This intervention potentially saved these children from further harm. We urge the public to report suspicious activities related to trafficking or illegal immigration to their nearest police station or anonymously via Crime Stop on 08600 10111."
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