Initiative empowers students in fight against human trafficking

Students were given valuable advice on how not to fall prey to human traffickers, especially in the search for jobs, when the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Office for Inclusivity & Change (OIC) partnered with the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) for an awareness initiative on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July.

The OIC, DSD, and the A21 non-profit organisation – which aims to abolish human trafficking around the world – as well as sponsor, Old Mutual, engaged with students on the Plaza, from 09:30 until 15:00, with a special address during meridian.

Students were taught what to look out for, how to protect themselves and where to get help. Of concern are job scams that see desperate South Africans lured overseas with promises of employment, only to be trapped in criminal networks. A21 shared information about their free job-vetting service.

Zukiswa Ntoyanto, a social work policy developer at the DSD’s Victim Empowerment Programme, said their statistics showed a growing number of youth being deceived by traffickers. “In March 2025, there were three youth who were rescued in Myanmar. They had clicked on the job advertisement looking for opportunities. For these job-seekers, going overseas has an appeal but then they are taken to [countries such as] Myanmar and Cambodia, their passports are taken from them and they are forced to work scamming other people. So that is the reason for us targeting UCT, because of the youth who can be vulnerable to those job adverts.”

Yumna Patel, Manager: Discrimination, Harassment and Violence at the OIC, said this was their second activation with DSD after an awareness campaign in May focused on domestic and sexual violence, OIC support services, as well as mandatory reporting under the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act (SORMAA).

“These incidents … reflect the types of grooming, deception and manipulation that can create vulnerability to trafficking, kidnapping and other forms of violence and exploitation.”

Part of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) awareness campaign will see a second activation in August and a symposium in September. Patel said the campaign created an opportunity to ensure that members of the UCT community are aware of the support available to them.

“At the OIC, we have supported students who have described situations where individuals have falsely claimed to be affiliated with UCT in an attempt to gain their trust and lure them into potentially harmful situations. We have also received reports of students being approached off campus by strangers offering transport or insisting on receiving transport from our students, employment opportunities, financial assistance or other seemingly appealing forms of support.

“While these incidents do not necessarily constitute trafficking in persons, they reflect the types of grooming, deception and manipulation that can create vulnerability to trafficking, kidnapping and other forms of violence and exploitation. This is why awareness is so important.”

She added: “We want students to understand warning signs to look out for, how traffickers and offenders can exploit trust and vulnerability, and how to make informed decisions to protect themselves. Whether you are on campus, off campus, applying for employment, travelling, or simply socialising, understanding these risks can help prevent harm. Our goal is not to create fear, but to empower our community with the knowledge, confidence and support to recognise concerning situations early and know where to seek help.” 

Practical steps

The OIC handed out colourful lanyards that are more than just a cool accessory: it has a QR code that serves as a lifeline for students needing help. Patel said the lanyards are to be used as a tool to create visibility and awareness of survivor support services. “We decided on lanyards so that if students are sitting among each other and they are all wearing these lanyards and a friend discloses that they’ve experienced some form of violence, that it would be easy and natural to bring it into the conversation and say let’s scan this QR code on the lanyard and let’s put in your information while we are sitting here together and let’s submit it to the OIC so they can contact you. We will contact the survivor within 24 hours, although we aim to do it as soon as possible because with a survivor it takes a lot of courage to feel ready to submit a report and receive support and we want to reduce their anxiety [by not making them wait too long].” 

The OIC offers confidential support; needs assessment; psychosocial intervention through counselling and trauma release exercise (TRE), a body-based nervous system regulation intervention; and coordinated referrals to specialised external partners, while helping individuals to navigate reporting and law enforcement processes in a safe and dignified manner. As part of the TIP programme, if somebody wants to report a suspected case of human trafficking, they can approach the OIC, and they will be connected with A21 and DSD.

At the A21 team’s gazebo, students got a valuable QR code they can use to vet a job opportunity.

Melissa Visser, coordinator of A21 South Africa’s Reach programme, said this service has saved many lives. She said their goal is to empower communities through prevention programmes, awareness campaigns, and practical safety guides.

“A significant trend identified by the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2024, and which has continued into 2025, is fraudulent overseas job offers in Southeast Asia. Recruiters advertise high-paying telesales, data-capturing, or call centre positions, usually in Thailand; however, the recruitment process is illegitimate. Initially, traffickers targeted skilled and experienced workers who were interested in travelling abroad for employment. As scam centres have evolved,  younger and less experienced job seekers have increasingly become the primary targets.”

The A21 team had a selection of games such as cornhole, ring toss, and giant Jenga to attract students on the plaza. Students were offered a free doughnut but first had to get through the games that came with various challenges to show how traffickers use promises of opportunity to trick their victims.

“Just as students were initially drawn in by the promise of a free doughnut, traffickers often lure victims with attractive incentives, such as high salaries, exciting travel opportunities, free accommodation, or other impressive benefits. Only later do victims discover the hidden conditions, risks, and exploitation that were never disclosed,” said Visser.

Additional means of support

The DSD gave out a hand-held personal alarm called a memeza, which means “to shout” in isiXhosa, to cause a distraction if you feel unsafe. Masego Twala, who is studying for a postgraduate diploma in marketing, took one of the devices. “It’s so loud and helpful. Even if I don’t use it, I’d give it to a friend who is going out. This is a scary crisis. I feel like the government should raise awareness in bigger ways such as through social media to engage with this target market.”

Employees of financial services provider Old Mutual joined the campaign. Witness Ntshikilana, provincial general manager, said they had attended as part of a partnership with the DSD in the TIP campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking among the youth. They are proud sponsors of the memeza devices. “As today marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we are raising awareness among the youth as these perpetrators are targeting institutions of higher learning such as UCT. We are a responsible business and we want to make sure we play a meaningful role in our communities and society. We want to ensure our youth are protected, are aware and vigilant.”

Message well received

Nonhlanhla Baloyi, a chemistry PhD student, said it was scary to hear that human trafficking was on the increase. “At least they are reaching out to students, making them aware and telling them how to protect themselves.”

A master’s in chemistry student Rendani Mashavhanduna said: “I learnt that we have to be cautious of our surroundings and to know what to do if there is trouble looming.”

Tom-Tom Ncongwane, Kevin Malcomson and Dakota Hunter, all first-year psychology students, gave the campaign a thumbs up. “It did a great job to spread awareness,” said Ncongwane. “It’s not something you think about on a daily basis, so it reminds you to keep safe and aware of your surroundings,” Malcomson added. “It gives me more of an appreciation for UCT because it’s not just stalls trying to sell me their business – it’s a stall to help with awareness and help actually teach us,” said Hunter.