The town of Kuruman has been identified as a human trafficking hot spot. Women and young children are often targeted as victims of this crime which can also lead to murder. The campaign, which is being launched on Thursday 11 October 2018, is a collaboration of various stakeholders such as the Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison and the SAPS.

Hawks spokesperson in the Northern Cape, Nomthandazo Mnisi, spoke of the significance of this campaign which aims to extend knowledge to community members while also engaging them.

“Most of the community members in Kuruman are not aware of human trafficking. We want to make the community aware of what is going on in their own surroundings in relation to human trafficking. Most of the community members think that when someone is missing that it is for no reason. They are not familiar with the concept of human trafficking,” said Mnisi.

An October Transport Month Provincial Launch will take place on 12 October. It will also form part of the Transport Month celebrations. October Transport Month is seen as a means to raise awareness of the important role of transport in the economy and to encourage involvement from civil society and businesses. October Transport Month initiatives also encourage the provision of safe, reliable and affordable transport systems for the citizens of South Africa.

OFM News