Fourteen (14) children rescued by HAWKS

GAUTENG – The Hawks in the Northern Cape have arrested two suspects for allegedly trafficking children from Midrand. The suspects were intercepted by police in Kimberly after they received a tip-off about the children boarding a bus to Cape Town.

The suspects were found with 14 undocumented children aged between 6 and 14 years. Hawks spokesperson Tebogo Thebe says the suspects claimed to be taking the kids to their parents in Cape Town. However, the claim could not be verified.

“The bus made a stopover in Kimberley. The passenger called an off-duty police officer, who in turn alerted the multi-disciplinary team for investigation and arrest. The victims (kids) were inspected, and looked dirty without any additional clothes or bags, and looked hungry.

“Provincial Trafficking in Persons Rapid Response Team, led by the Department of Social Development, was contacted to assist with placing the kids at a place of safety and providing food.”