The rise in human trafficking must be curbed

South Africa is under siege. On a daily basis, we find ourselves sharing alerts of yet another child, woman or adult who is missing and the immediate and crippling fear is that they are another victim of human trafficking.

South African streets are no longer safe.

The innocence of playing in a dusty township street until the street lights come on is no more.

And it’s not only the children. Even adults are wheeled out of mall bathrooms in wheelchairs to be packed like sardines in shipping containers and taken to faraway lands.

How prepared are South Africans for this ever-increasing threat?

We need to appeal to malls and public spaces to change their current public toilet systems. Fathers and mothers should not have to stand and wait outside for their little children of the opposite sex to go into public toilets all by themselves.

They must increase parent-and-children lavatory facilities.

The South African club scene also needs to be looked at.

Strangers who ply women with drinks must be stopped. In this instance, chivalry must be dead and buried.

With the boom in the meter taxi industry, those companies also need to take an active role in curbing the dangers.

Those who use their services need to be protected, especially because night revellers are in essence trusting a total stranger with their life, one who becomes familiar with your place of residence or business.

What has industry done to evolve along with the ever-changing modus operandi?

As the traffickers evolve and they move into these industries that are so permeable, our population is at risk and slowly leaving the country in the back seats of taxis.

Government will launch task forces for everything under the sun, so when are they going to do something to combat the rise of traffickers?

We await their action with bated breath. Our lives may very well depend on it.

Kekeletso Nakeli-Dhliwayo.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.