abstract Trafficking in persons, especially women and children for sexual purposes, has become an important focus for media, non-government organisations and governments all over the world. Media reporting on the increasing numbers of foreign sex workers in South Africa initially focused on the women's illegal status in South Africa as well as competition between them and local women sex workers for clientele. Since 2000, research by non-governmental organisations clearly identifies foreign women in the South African sex industry as victims of trafficking. This resulted in a shift in conceptualisation and all foreign women in the sex industry can now be viewed as victims of trafficking in persons. This focus looks at the shifts in conceptualisation of foreign women in the South African sex industry and raises questions about the potential for collaboration between South African and foreign women sex workers in the fight to combat trafficking in persons into the South African sex industry.