Human Trafficking

Human trafficking. Is it a new phenomenon?
By Stanley Maphosa
This phenomenon, as far back as I remember, started with Joseph in the Bible. His bothers trafficked him to the Ishmeelites who later auctioned him in Egypt where he was bought by Potiphar. In this incident, trafficking happened to Joseph because of two things. Firstly, he was young and therefore vulnerable. The strong and older brothers who have taken him into the pit got hold of him again and shoved him into the Ishmaelite caravan. He was just like a sheep going to the slaughter, I trust all he did was cry and that did not help him in that place and the time when the trafficking happened. Secondly. Joseph was traffic ked because he had favor with God and his parents. He was a dreamer with a predicted future to lead his brothers and even his parents. His parents loved and favored him maybe because he was the last born and gave him a coat of many colors. This favor caused anger and bitterness on his brothers who ended up selling him. The buyers benefitted from Egypt and the brother who sold Joseph got some money in the process.

The slave trade of old was another form of human trafficking. People from Africa were bought from chiefs and kings for small items like alcohol, beverages, guns, ornaments and spices. They were vulnerable in the sense that the king’s word was not opposed and they were handed over to the slave traders who transported them under very cruel conditions across the seas and oceans to Europe and the Americas. The traders sold them to the plantation owners, factory owners and individuals where they worked very hard in extreme conditions for no payment. The kings who sold them, the traders and the buyers benefitted and the victims did not get anything out of the deal. This was the second worst form of oppression and exploitation in human history after that of the Israelites who had gone to Egypt as a result of Joseph being sold by his brothers. The slave trade though abolished by William Wilberforce and others gave birth to some forms of oppression like colonialism, imperialism, capitalism and apartheid among others that made the poor poorer and the richer rich until this day. Our brothers in the Americas, Jamaica and the Diaspora are now unable to come back home to Africa and live with us in Soweto or Mdantsane their original home. Africa has been used, through cheap labor or manpower to develop Europe and America

The Human and child trafficking we are taking about today is a modern day slavery. It is subtle but still strives on vulnerability, gain for the rich and loss for the poor and manipulation. The traffickers today claim that they will give you a dream job in another place, they promise bursaries and all green pastures. The vulnerable believe their lies and at the end of the journey find there is nothing like that. They find themselves sold to prostitution for both males and females, selling drugs and or working for no payment in environments not fit for human settlement. Human trafficking is a big business which has systems and structures as well as coordinated syndicates around the world. It is the second largest business after drugs. While drugs are sold and used once and for all, human beings can be resold and in the process make a lot of money for those in the deal. There are cases where parents or guardians are driven by poverty, greed or any other motive to sell their own children. In the face of HIV and AIDS and the growing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children are susceptible to human trafficking. With false promises and or coercion, the victims are tricked and transported to what is called “better life.” In that better life place, they are isolated from help and kept in fear, debt, drugs, threats and violence. They enabling documents like the passports, identity cards and drivers license are taken away from them. Exploitation begins to take its toll as the victims are forced into prostitution, domestic slavery, forced labor or even mutilated for body organs.

Children should watch who they talk or chat to in the social networking sites. They should be aware of agents that advertise opportunities in the newspapers and report any suspicious actions of human trafficking

Stanley Maphosa is the Regional Operations Manager for World Vision South Africa and he is writing in his personal capacity