Thirty-six Ethiopian ‘human trafficking’ victims escape
FRANCISTOWN: About 90% of the undocumented Ethiopians who were detained at an unidentified location of safety as potential victims of human trafficking have escaped, Mmegi has learnt.
In what was thought to be an instance of human trafficking, police in Nata stopped a cargo truck carrying undocumented men and boys from Ethiopia three months ago at the Ngwasha gate.
The cargo contained 40 males aged between 10 and 35 who were reportedly destined for South Africa.
Following the truck incident , three men, Evane Kalulu (35), Francis Mutale (46) from Lusaka Zambia along with Artwell Manyere (35) of Zimbabwe were slapped with human trafficking charges and detained pending police investigations.
Tutume District council chairperson and Dukwi councillor, Thatayaone Kehitile told Mmegi that 36 of the 40 victims have fled from a place of safety where they were housed in Francistown.
“I am certain that there are only four minors remaining at the safe house,” he said.
According to Kehitile, the Ethiopians who were treated as human trafficking victims made their first break out in September when 19 of them fled the safe house through a hole; at the time but 13 of them were caught.
“The council is offering psycho social support to the remaining minors whilst awaiting feedback from Ethiopian government to verify their status,” he added.
Kehitile pointed out Ethiopians always complained about the verification of their status from their government as they were hell-bent on going to South Africa.
He also admitted that there has been delays in the verification of information from the Ethiopian government.
After visiting the safe house two months back, Local Government assistant minister, Mabuse Pule stated in a local newspaper that there was a good chance Botswana is being used as a hub for human trafficking.
Pule said most of the victims were taken to South Africa under the promise that they will live a lavish life.
In Ethiopia, the practice of human trafficking has been pervasive for many years. According to a 2023 trafficking in-person report, the Ethiopian government officials are reported to be investigating 495 potential trafficking cases of which 487 are for sex trafficking while eight for forced labour in 2021.
Additionally, it is alleged that most Ethiopians escape to South Africa, usually with the help of smugglers who charge a fee to facilitate their travels. Furthermore, because they frequently face economic hardships brought by regional inequality and violence, Ethiopians migrate to countries like South Africa in a quest for better pastures.