'We treat a victim as a genuine person'
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula says all leads are being investigated after a South African woman was rescued from a human trafficking syndicate amid questions over whether her story may be false.
JOHANNESBURG - Police Minister Fikile Mbalula says all leads are being investigated after a South African woman was rescued from a human trafficking syndicate amid questions over whether her story may be false.
It’s understood that Princess Mahlangu was lured to Asia with the promise of a lucrative modelling contract, but when she arrived in Malaysia, there was no beauty pageant and she was kept there against her will.
At a briefing on Sunday, Mbalula was asked to respond to allegations that the claims of human trafficking were untrue.
“We treat a victim as a genuine person. we're not working on this thing on the basis that we prejudice people who report serious crimes to us. We act. Where we are today in South Africa, women are under siege and we're not going to waste time, when you come to us to report a case, it is a genuine case.”
WATCH: SA woman falls prey to human trafficking scam
Two people have already been arrested in Malaysia for allegedly trafficking Mahlangu and 14 other women from other countries.
The Hawks and police are working with their counterparts there to bring down the sex trafficking syndicate.
The minister says the Hawks are leading the investigation back home.
“The leads will all be followed, people are arrested in Malaysia and in South Africa.”
(Edited by Refilwe Pitjeng)
