Bay joins global walk of protest on slavery
PORT Elizabeth will be joining a global anti-slavery drive #WalkForFreedom for the first time with a march at St George’s Park on October 14.
A single-file line of marchers, all wearing black, will walk around St George’s Park at the same time as similar lines snake around 600 venues in 50 countries, ranging from the Eiffel Tower in France to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in America.
This was the first time the fundraising and awareness event was to take place in Nelson Mandela Bay, Sanette Cavallari, one of the volunteers for A21, the NGO which is organising Walk For Freedom, said.
A21 says there are millions of men, women and children trapped in slavery around the world, with victims in Port Elizabeth as well.
A21’s statistics show human trafficking is a $150-billion (almost R2-trillion) industry internationally, with only one in 100 people ever rescued – and every 30 seconds someone becomes a victim.
Cavallari said human trafficking was a far bigger problem than most Bay residents realised, and it included children sold by their families and exploitation of cheap labour as well as prostitution and drug abuse.
“Port Elizabeth is an access point to the rest of Africa, thanks to our harbour and airport,” Cavallari said.
“We also are a little off the map when it comes to international attention and this makes it easy to ship victims of human trafficking from here to the rest of the world.”
There is no entrance fee for the Walk for Freedom, she said, as funds were generated through sales of march T-shirts.
However, participants do not have to buy a T-shirt.
“This Walk For Freedom brings hope to the city, especially to the victims or those who are most vulnerable to the dangers of human trafficking. It can happen to anyone,” trauma counsellor and activist John Preller said.
A21 Founder Christine Caine said the group’s supporters were the “abolitionists of the 21st century”.
“Slavery can be eradicated in our lifetime. Walk For Freedom is definitely one of the most impactful things we do at A21,” she said.
More information from Cavallari at 072-194-2550 or visit the A21.org website.