, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
TABLE OF CONTENT
Topic 1 – Child Trafficking Page 3
Topic 2 – Xenophobic Attacks and Spaza Shop Child Deaths Page 20
Topic 3 – Youth-Gang Activity and Gang-Related Offences (2020–2024) Page 36
Topic 4 – Violence Against Women and Impact of COVID-19 Page 52
Topic 5 – Corruption of Metro Police Officials in South Africa Page 69
Topic 6 – Key Factors Driving High Incidence of Kidnapping in South Africa Page 85
, Topic 1 - Explicate the nature and extent of child trafficking, along with the impactand
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on trafficked children.
1. Introduction
Child trafficking represents one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the
contemporary global landscape, constituting a form of modern-day slavery that disproportionately
affects the most vulnerable members of society. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC, 2021), children now account for 31 percent of detected trafficking victims
globally, marking a significant increase from levels recorded in previous years. This upward
trajectory is particularly alarming given that child trafficking operates largely in the shadows, with
official statistics representing only a fraction of the true scale of the crisis. Mashaile (2025) has noted
that internationally, approximately 1.2 million children are trafficked annually, with an estimated
600,000 of those originating from various African countries. The United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF, 2020) further reports that over three million children worldwide are involved in
prostitution, underscoring the immense scope of exploitation affecting minors across the globe.
The nature and extent of child trafficking in South Africa reflects both global patterns and uniquely
local dynamics shaped by the country's socio-economic inequalities, porous borders, and position as
a destination, transit, and source country for trafficked persons. The South African Prevention and
Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013, which came into effect on 9 August 2015,
criminalises trafficking and related offences in alignment with the United Nations Protocol to
Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, commonly
known as the Palermo Protocol (South African Government, 2013). Despite this legislative
framework, the identification of child victims remains a significant challenge, with under-reporting
and inadequate detection systems allowing trafficking networks to operate with relative impunity.
Between February 2020 and November 2025, the South African Police Service's Directorate for
Priority Crime Investigation recorded only four infant trafficking cases where children were
relinquished by their biological mothers (SAPS, 2025), a statistic that starkly illustrates the gap
between known cases and the probable scale of the problem.
The purpose of this assignment is to provide a comprehensive explication of the nature and extent of
child trafficking, examining its manifestations, operational methods, underlying causes, and the
multi-faceted impact on both victims and broader society. Particular attention will be devoted to
analysing the impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on trafficked children, as the
global health crisis created conditions that both exacerbated vulnerabilities and undermined
protection systems worldwide (UNODC, 2021). This essay will proceed as follows: key concepts
will be defined to establish a clear terminological framework; the discussion will then address the
nature and extent of child trafficking, modus operandi, causes, impact on victims and society,
theoretical explanations comprising three relevant theories, and prevention strategies; finally, a
conclusion will synthesise the main findings and offer reflections on policy implications.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Topic 1 – Child Trafficking Page 3
Topic 2 – Xenophobic Attacks and Spaza Shop Child Deaths Page 20
Topic 3 – Youth-Gang Activity and Gang-Related Offences (2020–2024) Page 36
Topic 4 – Violence Against Women and Impact of COVID-19 Page 52
Topic 5 – Corruption of Metro Police Officials in South Africa Page 69
Topic 6 – Key Factors Driving High Incidence of Kidnapping in South Africa Page 85
, Topic 1 - Explicate the nature and extent of child trafficking, along with the impactand
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on trafficked children.
1. Introduction
Child trafficking represents one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the
contemporary global landscape, constituting a form of modern-day slavery that disproportionately
affects the most vulnerable members of society. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC, 2021), children now account for 31 percent of detected trafficking victims
globally, marking a significant increase from levels recorded in previous years. This upward
trajectory is particularly alarming given that child trafficking operates largely in the shadows, with
official statistics representing only a fraction of the true scale of the crisis. Mashaile (2025) has noted
that internationally, approximately 1.2 million children are trafficked annually, with an estimated
600,000 of those originating from various African countries. The United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF, 2020) further reports that over three million children worldwide are involved in
prostitution, underscoring the immense scope of exploitation affecting minors across the globe.
The nature and extent of child trafficking in South Africa reflects both global patterns and uniquely
local dynamics shaped by the country's socio-economic inequalities, porous borders, and position as
a destination, transit, and source country for trafficked persons. The South African Prevention and
Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013, which came into effect on 9 August 2015,
criminalises trafficking and related offences in alignment with the United Nations Protocol to
Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, commonly
known as the Palermo Protocol (South African Government, 2013). Despite this legislative
framework, the identification of child victims remains a significant challenge, with under-reporting
and inadequate detection systems allowing trafficking networks to operate with relative impunity.
Between February 2020 and November 2025, the South African Police Service's Directorate for
Priority Crime Investigation recorded only four infant trafficking cases where children were
relinquished by their biological mothers (SAPS, 2025), a statistic that starkly illustrates the gap
between known cases and the probable scale of the problem.
The purpose of this assignment is to provide a comprehensive explication of the nature and extent of
child trafficking, examining its manifestations, operational methods, underlying causes, and the
multi-faceted impact on both victims and broader society. Particular attention will be devoted to
analysing the impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on trafficked children, as the
global health crisis created conditions that both exacerbated vulnerabilities and undermined
protection systems worldwide (UNODC, 2021). This essay will proceed as follows: key concepts
will be defined to establish a clear terminological framework; the discussion will then address the
nature and extent of child trafficking, modus operandi, causes, impact on victims and society,
theoretical explanations comprising three relevant theories, and prevention strategies; finally, a
conclusion will synthesise the main findings and offer reflections on policy implications.
