In Johannesburg’s Sunnydale Ridge, the South African Police Service’s Special Task Force (STF) has rescued ninety Ethiopian nationals who were being held in severe and inhumane conditions.
The rescue operation was part of a broader investigation into a kidnapping case. While tracking a ransom victim, the STF discovered the undocumented individuals locked in cramped and confined spaces.
The authorities are investigating how these individuals were trafficked into South Africa. The rescued Ethiopians, including the kidnapping victim from Benoni—who had been abducted and whose family faced demands for a significant ransom—have been transported to a hospital for medical evaluation and care.
Following their discovery at the scene, two people who are suspected of being kidnapped and engaging in human trafficking have been placed under arrest and will likely be charged with these offenses. They will soon be appearing before the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
For additional review, the case has been moved to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (HAWKS). The police stated that the organized crime investigators, Sandringham and Daveyton SAPS units, private security guards, and the crime intelligence section all made significant contributions to the operation’s successful conclusion.