Stand on child, woman abuse

FRUSTRATED Springs residents took a stand against woman and child abuse when they marched and handed in a memorandum to Police Minister Fikile Mbalula at the Springs police station yesterday.

KwaThema resident Kgotso Pooe said it was about time they took a stand and sent a message that “enough is enough”. “Most recently there have been stories about child trafficking in Springs…”

Pooe added that they had invited Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and urged her to deport illegal immigrants. “We want people who are here legally and are willing to work with us.”

In May, a 42-year-old foreign man and a 17-yearold girl were allegedly found to be involved in a human-trafficking syndicate in Springs, luring young girls into prostitution.

Five girls, aged 14 to 19, were rescued from the man’s flat in Springs.

This came after a group of 17 people were arrested in May when police raided a brothel in Springs. The group consisted of 11 women in their early twenties and six men aged between 19 and 42. However, only four women and a man were charged with human trafficking under the Sexual Offences Act.

The memorandum stated that residents were concerned about spiralling crime which had resulted in the killing of women and children, the senseless rapes and the lawlessness in their communities.

They demanded the minister commit to deploy the special task force to Brakpan, KwaThema and Springs to stop the trafficking of girls.

Chanting residents were delighted as the ministers agreed to their demands and signed the memorandum on the scene. Mbalula praised the show of unity and said police would start working harder to make them feel safe.