Fact check: Claims of Pretoria building housing human trafficking ring
- Social media has been abuzz with claims that a building in the Pretoria CBD is a hotspot for human trafficking
- One woman relayed a gruesome story, alleging that she had nearly been a victim after being lured in with a job interview
- Briefly.co.za explores the truth behind these claims after numerous citizens called on the EFF and even some ministers to act
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One woman took to social media recently to claim that she had narrowly evaded capture by a human trafficking ring housed in a Pretoria CBD building.
The woman had claimed she was lured in with the promise of potential employment when she had overheard a conversation detailing how she and other interviewees would be shipped out to different countries.
The post had even claimed that police officials were in on the gig, alleging that she had witnessed cops exchanging cash with the criminals.
Source: UGC
READ ALSO: EFF and Unilever reach agreement over ad, ending week of protests
Understandably concerned for the safety of the nation's women, many called upon the EFF and even ministers to deal decisively with the situation.
However, the National Commissioner of the South Africa Police Service has addressed these damning allegations.
The building situated on Johannes Ramokhoase Street, in fact, is a residential building accommodating policemen and women.
The SAPS has clarified that the posts haunting social media with the disturbing allegations are indeed fake news:
"The posts suggesting that this building is being used for criminal activities is misleading and untrue."
Citizens were warned against sharing these posts, reminding South Africans that false information could result in charges being pressed:
"People are urged not to post these messages any farther, as such messages tend to create panic and uncertainty among citizens. Anybody caught spreading fake news is likely to face charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice. In instances where resources are being used to respond to such fake news, every effort will be made to recover the costs of such response/s."
The police are now on the hunt for the person behind the creation of the message, promising that all information will be treated with the strictest confidence and that callers may remain anonymous:
"We continue to appeal to anyone who has any information on the person responsible for the creation and spreading of this message or of any other crime to please contact the SAPS on our Crime Stop number 086 00 10111."
Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that the Economic Freedom Fighters and Unilever have reached an agreement after a racially offensive advert created by the brand prompted controversy.
The party had launched nationwide protests in retaliation for the incident but had agreed to a meeting on Thursday.
Unilever has since agreed to remove all TRESemmé products from shelves across the country for a period of 10 days to signal its remorse over the situation.
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Source: Briefly News
