Thank you, Deputy Speaker and hon members. Trafficking in persons has been aptly described as modern-day slavery. It is a crime against humanity. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers through false pretences, abduction or other means for the sole purpose of exploitation in one way or another. Every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether it is a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. Various factors contribute to the trafficking of persons. These include poverty, lack of equal opportunities and political instability.
Imagine what a big break it would be for a young girl of 17 years, who is an orphan from a rural town in the Eastern Cape with very little infrastructure and economic opportunities, to be offered a good job in Bloemfontein. Imagine the shock and trauma once she arrives there to find herself enslaved for commercial sexual exploitation. This girl was eventually found, beaten and unconscious, in the street. Yes, this girl survived, but sadly she passed away from Aids-related complications later. She was also three months pregnant at the time of her death.
A little girl from a township outside Port Elizabeth was 12 years old when she was trafficked to downtown Port Elizabeth. She was raped, groomed, given drugs and later sold and taken to another city. She was kept in a block of flats ruled by criminal gangs. She was forced to work alongside numerous other trafficked girls and for years she endured unimaginable hardship by being beaten, stabbed, raped and even shot at. Traumatised as she was, she had to witness abortions and had helped other girls give birth. She managed to escape and seek refuge in a safe house. However, her road to recovery will never be easy because of the severe trauma she had to endure for many years. Fortunately, her case led to the police uncovering a syndicate and numerous arrests have been made as a result. These are but a few cases in an industry that is one of the most lucrative criminal business enterprises globally. Victims of trafficking are subjected to numerous ordeals, as is evident from the examples I have just given. It is therefore of the utmost importance to adopt legislation that addresses this crime against humanity comprehensively and meaningfully. Our international obligation as a signatory to the UN protocol is to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children. The UN convention against transnational organised crime also requires us as Parliament to promote domestic legislation dealing with trafficking in persons.
In addition, the Bill of Rights in our Constitution enshrines the right to human dignity, equality, freedom and security of the person, which includes the right not to be deprived of freedom arbitrarily or without just cause. It also includes the right not to be treated in a cruel, inhuman and degrading manner; the right not to be subjected to slavery, servitude or forced labour; and the right of our children to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse and degradation.
As much as the prosecution of alleged traffickers is important, the protection of victims of trafficking is equally important. Therefore this Bill provides for the mandatory reporting of child victims of trafficking to the police for investigation. The protective measure of the Children's Act will apply to all child victims of trafficking. Other protective measures for victims of trafficking include the affirmation of the right to public health care services, as provided in Section 27 of our Constitution.
Another important provision in this Bill is the issue of payment of compensation to victims of trafficking by all the perpetrators. Many stories have been told of parents who are involved in trafficking of their own children, whether by deception - for example, where family members promise their children a better education in the city - or intentionally - for example, through prostitution. All these children must be protected.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all of those who have already done well in bringing perpetrators who had committed these heinous crimes to book within the parameters of current legislation. Let me thank the members of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development for their firm commitment in ensuring that the end product reflects the views and norms of the people that they represent as far as possible. [Applause.]