South African police rescued 26 Ethiopian nationals from a suspected human trafficking operation in Johannesburg. The group escaped after breaking a window and burglar bar from a house where they were allegedly held naked.
The Hawks serious crime unit reported three arrests on Thursday night in the suburb of Sandringham on suspicion of human trafficking and illegal firearm possession. The neighbours, having heard the noise, alerted the authorities. The police are appealing to the public to report any other escapees spotted in the area.
According to the report from the local TV station, eNCA, 60 Ethiopian men have been kept as hostages in a bungalow. A broken window was found with bloodstains on it at the front part of the house. Eleven patients were rushed to the hospital for medical attention, while others remained at large among the Ethiopians.
Philani Nkwalase, a police spokesperson, suggested the incident bore the hallmarks of a human trafficking operation, noting the captives were kept naked to humiliate and deter escape attempts.
South Africa has attracted immigrants since the end of apartheid. Still, xenophobia persists because some people fear immigrants are causing a rise in crime and unemployment. According to the 2022 census, 2.4 million foreign-born residents live in South Africa, and this includes 58,000 Ethiopians.
This is not the first such incident. In August 2024, 82 Ethiopians were found crammed into a house in the same area under dire conditions. Initially, several were believed to be minors and were charged with illegal entry, though the Department of Home Affairs later clarified they were smuggled migrants, not trafficking victims.
The authorities are continuing to investigate this case and request interpreters who can communicate with these victims, who can’t explain the circumstances of this case because they don’t know the language. A neighbour has expressed shock by saying that up until recently, the house had appeared uninhabited.
