A Proposed Method to Effectively Combat Human Trafficking: Lessons for the South African Criminal Justice System

Human trafficking is generally understood to refer to the process through which individuals are placed or maintained in an exploitative situation for economic gain. Trafficking can occur within a country or may involve movement across borders. Women, men and children are trafficked for a range of purposes, including forced and exploitative labour in factories, farms and private households, sexual exploitation, and forced marriage. Trafficking affects all regions and most countries of the world and South Africa is no exception. This study attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of the South African Criminal Justice System (CJS) in combating human trafficking. This study was carried out utilising a qualitative approach. Forty interviews were carried out among officials deployed in the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the Department of Social Development (DSD), the Gauteng Provincial Office, as well as with the victims regarding their views and experiences on the stakeholder's involvement in combating and investigating human trafficking. The key findings indicated that the challenges are lack of resources, capacity, budget and lack of cooperation from victims of human trafficking in supporting ongoing investigations, in adequate awareness was also a major challenge for law enforcement agencies, training, knowledge and skills to deal with human trafficking was identified to be also a big challenge for the relevant stakeholders, the findings also indicated a lack of clear strategy and response by stakeholders to successfully investigate, prosecute and incarcerate the perpetrators of human trafficking. Based on the findings, the author provided, possible recommendations such as; the South African government should develop internet regulations and policies to regulate the internet, advanced training and better education including improved awareness strategies; and collaboration with community police forums to strengthen partnerships, improve support and ensure relationship between the SAPS and the community

Prospects and Challenges in the Investigation of Credit Card Fraud in Vall Region of the Gauteng Province, South Africa

Today use of Credit Card even in developing countries has become a common scenario. People use it to shop, pay bills and for online transactions. But with increase in number of Credit Card users, the cases of fraud in Credit Card have also been on rise. Credit Card related frauds cause globally a loss of billions of Rands. Credit Card fraud can be done in numerous ways. The article begins with an examination of the extent of the challenge and response by the relevant stakeholders, especially the Criminal Justice System (CJS). This study was carried out utilising a qualitative research approach with a convenience, purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Thirtynine (39) interviews were conducted to solicit the views of the participants and police investigators from Vanderbijlpark, Sebokeng, Sharpeville and Vereeniging police stations, members of the community, and victims of credit card fraud were interviewed. These interviews were analysed according to the phenomenological approach, aided with the inductive Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) to identify the participants' responses and themes. The findings indicated that the extent of credit card fraud in Vaal region is reaching alarming rates. Based on the findings, the authors provided recommendations such as: police investigators being taken for regular workshops and training on how to investigate sophisticated methods used by perpetrators such as technology, awareness in the society about credit card fraud should be prioritised and enhanced. This study recommends that the CCTV cameras should be installed in the ATM, where cases of credit card are taking place. In addition, the police be visible in the areas which are most prevalent to credit card fraud

Justice for Victims of Human Trafficking in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Human trafficking is not a new problem in South Africa and statistics have indicated that it is on the increase. The crime of human trafficking is clandestine and complex. Human trafficking is a complex issue that can be considered from different perspectives and its associated legal framework, in very general terms, states will be responsible for their own acts or omissions that breach their obligations under International law, including human rights law. This article explores and attempts to find solutions for victims of human trafficking. This study utilised a phenomenological qualitative framework following semi-structured interviews. The sampling methods adopted for this study were purposive, using snowball sampling, where the authors could identify the samples, one after the other, through references given earlier. It focused on 40 participants from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Gauteng Provincial Office, from Pretoria, Springs and Kempton Park. The key findings indicated that the challenges are corruption, lack of motivation and commitment to combat human trafficking, lack of limited awareness and information about the human trafficking scourge in South Africa, the findings also indicated a lack of clear strategy and response by stakeholders to successfully investigate, prosecute and incarcerate the perpetrators of human trafficking and the findings further indicated lack of capacity, resources and training to deal with human trafficking. Based on the findings, the author provided, possible recommendations such as; the utilisation of advanced technology and use of intelligence-led policing to strengthen the work of stakeholders, advanced training and better education including improved awareness strategies; and the utilisation of social media as a tool to deal with human trafficking and strengthening of enforcement responses and reporting techniques

Police Perceptions of Human Trafficking in South Africa

Human trafficking is perceived to be a serious and growing problem worldwide. Yet for many years, society as a whole, and the policing profession in particular in South Africa, did not fully grasp the scale and complexity of the problem or its impact. The article seek to understand and determine the perceptions of police regarding human trafficking in South Africa. The study followed a qualitative approach and purposive sampling was used to select 28 participants in three selected areas of Gauteng Province. The findings revealed that the police lack intensive training on issues of human trafficking and further revealed that police were not able to differentiate between the victims of human trafficking and prostitution. The police should be given adequate time, funding, and training needed to establish a wide base of experience and knowledge from which they can draw upon for future human trafficking investigation

Stakeholders as catalyst to human trafficking: A case study of three selected areas of Gauteng province, South Africa

Transnational crime with its perpetual impact has been substantially explored in research. Stakeholder organisations’ involvement as catalyst towards secondary victimisation of human trafficking victims is generally an afterthought for several organisations and individuals in South Africa. There is almost no knowledge on stakeholders’ involvement as catalyst in the process of perpetuating human trafficking in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. Thus, the victims suffer from the double jeopardy, as they suffer first, in the hands of perpetrators, and secondly, by stakeholder organisations. This article examines the contribution of stakeholders in the process of exploitation of victims of human trafficking in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A qualitative research approach was adopted, to explore corruptive practices by stakeholders in the process of providing safety and security services in cognisance to human rights of victims in the study area. The findings collected through semi-structured interviews with a total number of 36 participants comprising South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) officials, members of Department of Social Development (DSD); members of Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and members of Department of Social Development (DSD); suggest that stakeholders remain indifferent to violating human rights of victims. Stakeholders have thus acted as catalyst for increased secondary exploitation of victims. Stakeholder engagement in anti-trafficking policy implementation and service responses are insufficient because of the lack of integrated approach, to adequately implement policy and promote cooperative strategic partnerships. Together, these findings suggest that all relevant stakeholder organisations should assist in minimising the challenge of victim victimisation