Prevention versus Cure

05/09/2026

The job overseas …

A ticket overseas can look like an opportunity, but Human Traffickers use it to isolate victims. Once abroad, passports are seized, and freedom disappears.

👉 Never surrender your documents. Research agencies, check embassy advisories, and keep emergency contacts close. If arrangements feel rushed or you feel pressured to make a decision, step away.

If you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activities to the South African National Human Trafficking Hotline: 0800 222 777.

For as little as R50 per month, you can make a difference. To complete a debit order, scan the QR code or donate here: https://stoptrafficking.org.za/donate-now/ and help us raise awareness and keep your family safe.

As a public benefit organisation, we issue A18 certificates for all donations, so your generosity not only brings hope but also benefits you. Together, let us STOP Human Trafficking and start healing.

03/09/2026

Fake Job Interviews

The promise of a dream career can be a nightmare.

Victims are often lured online, then invited to interviews in remote places, only to be abducted or forced into exploitation.

👉 Legitimate employers provide contracts and transparency. If an “interview” feels rushed or hidden, walk away. Do not be fooled into disclosing personal information that can endanger yourself or your loved ones.

If the offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

If you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activities to the

South African National Human Trafficking Hotline: 0800 222 777.

To verify job offers and safeguard against exploitation, use Prevention Versus Cure (www.preventionversuscure.org), our free online job vetting agency, where a private investigator will investigate the legitimacy of the job opportunity and detect potential scams.

02/09/2026

Recruitment Tactics Human Traffickers Use

1. Romance Scams
Human Traffickers know that love is powerful bait. They shower victims with affection online, promising forever love. But the first meeting is often the trap that makes them disappear.

2. Friendship Traps
Human Traffickers build trust, pretending to be same age peers. Victims believe they have found a friend, but the “hangout” becomes an abduction.

3. Fake Job Offers
A dream career can be the hook. Fake interviews and job opportunities lure victims into captivity.

Beware of offers that sound too good to be true.

👉 Recruitment is manipulation. Recognise the patterns before they escalate.

If you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activities to the South African National Human Trafficking Hotline: 0800 222 777.

02/09/2026

https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/2026-08-27-court-affidavits-reveal-chilling-details-in-durban-human-trafficking-case/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUDjOFjbGNrBQOMZXBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeXbwHz1YCNlt-yxp0dPvh7-rg18Tlx2M2cOz92v2Rg_3HsuOPMfgJeZUN5zo_aem_CSKfRu-7TK4jU62lXDAt7w

Court affidavits revealed disturbing allegations in a human trafficking case in which vulnerable young women were lured to Durban with false promises of employment before allegedly being exploited in an online s*x trafficking operation.

01/07/2025

01/07/2025

11/03/2025

As the trial of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith enters its seventh day, new witnesses from the Saldanha Bay community are set to testify about their experiences following her disappearance.

Joshlin was last seen on 19 February 2024. Her mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, and their friend, Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn, have been charged with kidnapping and human trafficking.

On Monday, four witnesses—including a detective and community members—took the stand. Constable Refilwe Sekhobe testified about taking initial statements and detailed how she and her partner, Sergeant Meyer Milstein, first became involved in the case.

Several other witnesses also testified:

Namhla Tinzi, Kelly’s neighbour, recounted the community’s reaction after learning of Joshlin’s disappearance.
Carlien Zeegers, Kelly’s former employer, described her as a good mother who faced difficult circumstances.
Natasha Andrews, a family friend, revealed that she had once wanted to adopt Joshlin, but the process fell through.

As the trial progresses, more testimonies are expected to shed light on Joshlin’s disappearance and the events surrounding it.

Information from 👉 https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/joshlin-smith-trial-new-witnesses-expected-as-case-enters-seventh-day-39b24d5c-4347-4209-9ee1-47d89817dca1

To book a STOP speaker for your school, church, organisation or any other event, please visit our website: https://www.stoptrafficking.org.za/

To become part of the solution with STOP trafficking of People:

SMS ‘Your Name’ to 42000 to make a R1 contribution.

Or gift your own designated amount to:

Stop Trafficking of people NPC
Account: 623 454 328 85
Branch: 200510 (Somerset West)
FNB
FIRNZAJJ

26/02/2025

When May was at her most vulnerable, she came across an ad for a factory job in another city.

But her neighbours were wary and referred May to Blue Dragon, a non-profit dedicated to rescuing human trafficking victims.

“I began noticing abnormal signs in job [offers] that seemed too good to be true — highly attractive, well-paid for special skills or reference checks,” said Blue Dragon’s Thuc.

An anti-trafficking board, formed by local teachers, police officers, and activists, advised May not to apply.

Thuc, one of the board members, invited May to a workshop on trafficking risks — and through case studies, May learned how traffickers operate.

May believes the intervention saved her from being baited to a scam compound.

Scam compounds have become a growing problem across South-East Asia.

Victims trafficked to the compounds are forced to lure others into fraudulent schemes such as investing in fake cryptocurrency investments through romance scams.

Romance scams are typically carried out on social media platforms or dating apps, with fraudsters asking for money after developing an online relationship with the victim.

Read full story 👉 https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104953504

To book a STOP speaker for your school, church, organisation or any other event, please visit our website: https://www.stoptrafficking.org.za/

To become part of the solution with STOP trafficking of People:

SMS ‘Your Name’ to 42000 to make a R1 contribution.

Or gift your own designated amount to:

Stop Trafficking of people NPC
Account: 623 454 328 85
Branch: 200510 (Somerset West)
FNB
FIRNZAJJ

25/02/2025

Lured by the promise of well-paying jobs in Southeast Asia, thousands instead allegedly end up enslaved in jail-like compounds and forced to carry out online scams

Many are lured by the promise of well-paying jobs, but instead end up enslaved secure compounds where they are forced to carry out online scams.

The operations have become increasingly globalised, with victims from across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. Research by the US Institute of Peace estimated these scams generate $63.9bn a year in global revenue, the majority of which ($39bn) is generated in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

At least 120,000 people across Myanmar and another 100,000 in Cambodia may be forced to work in the industry, the UN says.

‘Punishing people like animals’
Six months ago, Shazab, a 24-year-old man from Pakistan flew to Bangkok to take up what he thought was a job in IT. Instead, he says, his phone and passport were confiscated and he was unwittingly trafficked across the border to a scam centre in Myanmar.

Read full story 👉 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/25/beatings-torture-and-electric-shocks-freed-scam-compound-workers-allege-horrific-abuse

To book a STOP speaker for your school, church, organisation or any other event, please visit our website: https://www.stoptrafficking.org.za/

To become part of the solution with STOP trafficking of People:

SMS ‘Your Name’ to 42000 to make a R1 contribution.

Or gift your own designated amount to:

Stop Trafficking of people NPC
Account: 623 454 328 85
Branch: 200510 (Somerset West)
FNB
FIRNZAJJ