U.S. Department of State 2001 Trafficking in Persons Report - South Africa
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Author | Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons |
| Publication Date | 12 July 2001 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State 2001 Trafficking in Persons Report - South Africa, 12 July 2001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4680d77ac.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
South Africa (Tier 2)
South Africa is a destination country for trafficked persons. Women are trafficked within South Africa and from other African countries (specifically Angola, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia, Cameroon, Malawi, and Rwanda), Asia (specifically Thailand and Taiwan), Eastern Europe, Russia, and the New Independent States. South Africa is also a transit point for trafficking operations between developing countries and Europe, the United States, and Canada.
The Government of South Africa does not yet fully comply with the minimum standards; however, the Government is making significant efforts to combat trafficking. The Government is limited by a lack of resources, and corruption is a problem in some localities. The law does not prohibit specifically the act of trafficking, but there is a range of other relevant laws that may be used to prosecute traffickers. There have been some successful investigations, including one that was being prosecuted at the time of this report. The perpetrator usually is liable for a fine between $1,300 to $9,300 and usually is responsible for the cost of tracking, locating, detaining, and repatriating victims of trafficking. Government officials acknowledge that trafficking is a problem; however, the problem of trafficking usually is categorized under the larger issues of violence against women or illegal migration. For the first time, the Border Police included the principle of protecting women and children against trafficking in their strategic plan for 2001. There are few programs to assist victims of trafficking, and most of these have been established by NGO's. Victims who fall into police custody usually are deported soon thereafter.
