Dozens of Ethiopian and Somalian Nationals Kidnapped for Human Trafficking Escape JHB House
- South Africans blamed porous borders after scores of teenagers broke free from a house they were kept in against their will in Johannesburg
- Dozens of young adults and teenagers who were reportedly kidnapped for human trafficking were held captive in a house in Lombardy East
- They escaped on 26 March and were taken to the police station to be processed
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, cash-in-transit heists, police investigations, kidnappings, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
Source: Facebook
LOMBARDY EAST, JOHANNESBURG – South Africans blamed the conditions of the country’s borders after 50 teenagers and young adults from Ethiopia and Somalia escaped from a house in Lombardy East on 26 March 2025. A video of the incident has gone viral.
What happened in Lombardy East?
According to SABC News, a resident of the neighbourhood the group escaped from alerted the security in the area after seeing a stream of young adults and teenagers run out of a house. Neighbours heard them scream in a two-bedroom house, which they were allegedly kept in.
PAY ATTENTION: Briefly News is now on YouTube! Check out our interviews on Briefly TV Life now!
A look inside the house shows that they broke the door down in an attempt to escape. Many of those who escaped were taken to the Sandringham Police Station, where they will be processed and taken to a place of safety.
A video of the incident went viral on social media. MDN News posted it on its @MDNnewss X account. The video shows scores of foreign nationals running in one direction.
Watch the X video here:
Similar incidents involving trafficked foreign nationals
A similar incident happened in January this year in Sandringham. The South African Police Service rescued 26 men from a house in the suburb. A total of 15 men were found without clothes on them, and the authorities believed that they were victims of human trafficking.
The Gauteng police’s Special Task Force rescued 90 undocumented Ethiopian foreign nationals who wee rescued from a house in Sunnydale ridge in Johannesdbueg. The victims were held against their will. Two were arrested and charged with human trafficking.
Source: Facebook
South Africans blame porous borders
Netizens commenting on SABC News’ Facebook post questioned how the foreign nationals made their way to South Africa.
Sifiso Kunene asked:
“How did they get to South Africa?”
Likho Kyle said:
“Dozens of teenagers? Why did it take so many victims for the culprits to be apprehended? Come on, guys. This lawlessness needs to come to an end.”
Lainey Curtis asked:
“The new way of getting documented? Something is not right here. Maybe SA was just one of the stops? It’s easier to hide trafficked person in SA.”
Sanele Classic Man said:
“South Africa must accept that we don’t have a government under Ramaposa’s administration.”
Nolwandle Nolly Msholozi said:
“Porous borders! How did they pass through? Who works at those border gates?”
Derrich Smit said:
“Criminals run South Africa. It’s free for all.”
443 trafficked children saved at Beitbidge border
In another trafficking-related article, Briefly News reported that the Border Management Authority rescued 443 children from human traffickers in Limpopo. The victims were trafficked from Zimbabwe.
The incident happened in December, and all of the children were under eight years old. The authorities rescued them from 42 buses they were packed.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU - click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: Briefly News
