EMASWATI TRAFFICKED TO SA, 1 ESCAPES, RELIVES ORDEAL

MBABANE – A liSwati man is accused of trafficking adult males from the country to South Africa (SA) where he engages them as cheap labour.

*Muzi from Ndzingeni reportedly uses illegal crossings to traffic the victims to the neighbouring country. One of the victims, who were trafficked, *Bheki,  revealed that he left behind four emaSwati and three Mozambicans when he escaped. He alleged that the man kept his victims in a number of places. Bheki said their ages ranged between 20 to 30 years, adding that he was the eldest. He said they were kept at an area known as Ngodini, where they worked in a forest to cut logs, among other things. He mentioned that they were also made to work at night, where they would be made to go to other people’s properties to load the logs.  “When we refused, Muzi would tempt us with money and because of desperation we took anything he gave us,” he said.

Money

He said they would share the money and get E200 each at times, adding that there was no regular salary and that the boss would only pay when he chose to. Bheki said they offered to pay him good money, adding that he just needed to avail himself. According to Bheki, his future employer promised to offer him accommodation and food, among other things. Bheki said Muzi found him at Motshane, where he promised him a job and made a good offer that he would operate a folk lift at his company, which is situated in Ngodini, SA.

He stated that on the first day of their meeting, Muzi said he was headed for Johannesburg, promising to come back for him at a later date.
Upon his return, Bheki stated that he came to his home, where he found him with another young man who was also interested in joining him.
However, he said his family was reluctant that he goes with the man, because they did not have his background and further requested that he showed them his identity document (ID) and driver’s licence. He said Muzi produced his passport instead of the ID and his family took its picture.
According to Bheki, when they reached their destination, Muzi left him with another person, who was also a liSwati, whom he said would direct them as to what they should do.

He added that Muzi would time and again check on them but later disappeared and after several weeks re-surfaced. During his disappearance, he said the person whom Muzi left them with, told them that he did not owe anyone. This, they said, was after they had questioned him about their salaries. Instead, they said the man changed tune to tell them that he owed no one and that they instead owed him, as he was providing them with food.  Reached for comment, Make Shongwe, who is the mother of the trafficked man, stated that her son told her about a job offer he had received from a ‘good Samaritan’, while he was at Motshane bus stop.

He said this was after the ‘good Samaritan’ realised that he could drive a forklift. “I asked him what he will use, as he did not have a travel document and he said his future employer would assist him to cross through an illegal crossing.” This, she said, made her doubt the authenticity of the job, hence he demanded to see the employer.She said when Muzi eventually came, they forced him to produce some documents that proved his identity, as it was their first time meeting him. Furthermore, she said it was his generosity that was too good to be true, which raised so many questions.

Head of Secretariat-Prevention of People Trafficking and People Smuggling in the Prime Minister’s Office, Nompumelelo Lukhele, said they were not aware of the matter. Lukhele requested to be given time to investigate the matter before she could comment any further.

* Not real names to protect victim.

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