Home affairs defends child visa rules

THE department of home affairs says that while the statistics around child trafficking in South Africa are contested, its visa regulations are aimed at all vulnerable children.

The department was reacting to a story published in Sowetan yesterday questioning figures cited by it of 30 000 children trafficked annually.

Home affairs had not responded to original queries but yesterday its spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete said the department had not lied by quoting a figure of 30 000 which stemmed from children ’ s rights groups. Home affairs was aware figures were contested and had previously indicated this, he said.

Various organisations cite different figures ranging from about 50 cases per year to about 45 000.

The department said 23 trafficked children were detected in SA over the past three years in a recent parliamentary reply.

“Child trafficking is difficult to detect but whether the number is 5 or 10 or 30 000, there is no denying that child trafficking is a reality in South Africa and we can ’ t tell the parents of trafficked children that their children aren ’ t important.”

Tshwete said the regulations that require parental consent and an unabridged birth certificate to travel with children, were aimed at addressing the requirements of the Children's Act and covered all vulnerable children, including undocumented, unaccompanied and abducted children.

He said the regulations were not simply responding to statistics but rather aiming to prevent trafficking.

Home affairs does not keep its own statistics but Tshwete said this could be done in future. “Already in the past three months we have detected about four or five cases of trafficking.

“Our request is not unreasonable. Are people saying that their inconvenience is of more importance than the life of a trafficked child?”