Abstract
The deluge of news articles about human trafficking in South Africa, and the media preoccupation with trafficking in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, could lead an observer to believe that South Africa is a 'hotbed' of human trafficking. Yet, there are no baseline data about the extent or nature of the problem. The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) released a research report in March this year that purports to provide 'the first comprehensive assessment of human trafficking in South Africa.' The report is beset with methodological problems and assumptions. It is based on very little original research. The authors of this review argue that it represents a missed opportunity to provide much needed information about human trafficking in South Africa and fuels sensationalism about human trafficking.
Highlights
In 2009 the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) won a tender to undertake what should have been an important piece of research on human trafficking for the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)
The 206page report that resulted from this tender states that it 'provides the first comprehensive assessment of human trafficking in South Africa',3 and that it would address Result 1 of the
For reasons set out below we believe that a vital opportunity has been missed to establish a baseline on the extent and nature of the problem of human trafficking in South Africa
Summary
The shortcomings of the research and report cannot be laid at the door of the HSRC or the researchers alone. The terms of reference for the research and the short timeframe within which the research was to be conducted set it up for failure. The terms of reference required the HSRC to do the following: a. Identify trafficking trends in order to develop an appropriate response b. Analyse counter-trafficking responses regarding human trafficking (HT) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and other countries with comparative features d. Identify indicators for a national Trafficking Information Management System j. The terms of reference clearly are an unrealistic basis for a study that is intended to provide definitive baseline information about human trafficking in South Africa.
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