Take action and stop the traffick!

Reports of human trafficking for the purpose of prostitution continue to make the headlines in SA’s newspapers.

The Times reports a shocking increase in human trafficking from Zimbabwe. IOL News reports on Nigerian syndicates operating in Gauteng and Durban who snatch teenage girls, drug them and force them into prostitution. Similar horror stories are emerging countrywide.

An 18 year old girl from De Doorns was rescued by Cape Town’s Vice Squad recently. Criminals operating from the notorious Senator Park Apartment Complex in the city – a stone’s throw from the Western Cape Provincial Legislature and High Court – forced the teen into prostitution.

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On the positive side, Cape Town’s Vice Squad has exposed and shut down several brothels masquerading as massage parlours and shops in the city. Trafficking is rife at these venues.

Alarmingly, the Cape Times reports the Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) and SWEAT are demanding prostitution be decriminalised and the Vice Squad disbanded to “protect women’s rights”.

Decriminalising prostitution will benefit the brothel owners and crime syndicates that lure teenage girls into prostitution as reported above. The Vice Squad has rescued countless women and girls from brutal sexual exploitation. One must assume the reason SWEAT and the WLC want prostitution decriminalised and the Vice Squad disbanded – is to provide crime syndicates a free reign.

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A memorandum including these demands was handed to Premier Helen Zille. Please write to her indicating your support for the vital work of CT’s Vice Squad and encourage her not to capitulate to the demands of organised crime but to boldly enforce the law to protect women and children. Your emails are vital because Ms Zille is also the leader of the opposition party in Parliament. Please write to Ms Zille at: premier@pgwc.gov.za and or donnae.strydom@pgwc.gov.za

I had a lengthy telephonic discussion with Luwellyn Landers, the Chairperson of the Justice Portfolio Committee dealing with the “Preventing and combating of trafficking in persons legislation.” I will be meeting with him soon to discuss the increasing reports of sex trafficking and the urgent need to finalise and implement this vital Bill to effectively fight human trafficking in South Africa.

I also plan to register my disgust with the IFP member of the Committee, Mr M Oriani-Ambrosini who attempted to get prostitution legalised through the back door – denying the SA electorate the opportunity to speak into this issue. Thankfully, the Committee denied his treacherous request. Mr. Oriani-Ambrosini was elected to Parliament to represent the South African public. It appears his loyalty lies somewhere else. You can email him at: moriani-ambrosini@parliament.gov.za

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I will hand-deliver FPI’s research document “Why prostitution must not be decriminalised or legalised in SA” to Mr Landers and every member of the Justice Portfolio Committee in Parliament. I will also meet with Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Fatima Chohan soon to discuss the work we did on legislation to ban internet pornography to protect children from exposure. Please pray!