Johannesburg Police Arrest 16 Ethiopian Nationals, Uncover Alleged Human Trafficking Ring

• Police pounced on a large group of undocumented foreign nationals, illegally occupying a property in Homestead Park, Johannesburg
• Officers arrested 16 suspected illegal immigrants at the residence, with an unknown number of others escaping from the police
• Police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza told Briefly News that the suspects, all Ethiopian nationals, will appear in court soon

JOHANNESBURG — Police have detained 16 Ethiopian nationals in a suspected human trafficking ring in Johannesburg.

After receiving reports of a house robbery, Langlaagte police responded to a property in Homestead Park, Mayfair, west of the Johannesburg CBD.

Police arrest 16 Ethiopian nationals

On arrival, police found community members and private security surrounding the property. The incident happened on Wednesday.

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According to a subsequent verified online post, police uncovered a large group of foreign nationals at the residence.

"An Ethiopian national has been arrested in Homestead Park, and some 14 foreigners found in the house. Others fled as police arrived. Police are investigating a human trafficking syndicate," read an X post from social activist @Abramjee on Thursday.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza told Briefly News that the South African Police Service (SAPS) members on-site received further information suggesting the group had hijacked the property.

"Upon entering, police found a group of Ethiopian nationals. Some of them ran out of the house. However, the officers managed to grab 16 of them.

A subsequent video showed what appeared to be about 22 people escaping from another part of the house.

"[Those arrested] were [taken] to the station to be assessed to determine whether they had been smuggled or trafficked into the country. Other government departments were also brought in to assist with the assessment," Kweza told Briefly News.

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"After assessing the group, the police were able to establish that they were in the country illegally and have since been detained. They will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday [12 August]," she added.

It is unclear how many suspects got away.

Briefly News understands the detained suspects face charges, including contravening the immigration act.

Authorities bust over 20 illegal immigrants

In a related story, Briefly News reported that officials in the City of Tshwane discovered over 20 illegal immigrants shacked up in a hijacked house in Waterkloof Ridge outside Tshwane Central.

The bust came after municipal officials raided the property, bent on recovering over R1 million in outstanding municipal debt.

Source: Briefly News