A mother and her son accused of human trafficking appeared briefly at the Springs Magistrates' Court yesterday after they were linked to a syndicate that has been under investigation.

The Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the two accused, Dumazile Nkosi (51) and Thandoluhle Nkosi (25) are facing charges of trafficking persons, keeping a safe house, assisting illegal immigrants evade the law as well as illegal possession of ammunition. Mogale said the accused were summoned to appear in court as additional suspects in an ongoing trafficking in persons' case being investigated the Hawks's Vaal Rand based Serious Corruption Investigation team. "The pair was allegedly keeping and leasing premises where in February 2022, 47 foreign nationals were found. They failed to report activities related to trafficking in persons. The main accused in the case, Dawit Adamu (31) was identified while attending his brother's court case, and subsequently arrested on a warrant on 05 October 2023. He will appear in court again on the 3rd of November 2023 and he will be joined by other accused in the matter, "said Mogale, adding that the mother and her son were remanded in custody and will appear again in court for formal bail application on the 18 October 2023.

The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa applauded the team for exposing and bringing the accused to book. "Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights, therefore we urge the community to pay attention to some of the following tips to ascertain if a person is being trafficked," said Major General Kadwa highlighting poor living conditions, multiple people in a cramped space, inability to speak to an individual alone, answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed, employer is holding identity/travel documents of employees, signs of physical abuse, submissive or fearful behaviour and unpaid or paid very little for labour as the signs to look out for.