Ten Half-Naked Teenagers Rescued in Johannesburg, 47-Year-Old Foreign National Arrested
- A 47-year-old foreign national was arrested on trafficking charges on Tuesday, 5 January 2026
- This comes after 10 boys were seen walking half-naked in a street in Mulbarton, Johannesburg
- All 10 teenagers have since been rescued and placed in the care of the authorities
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Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Getty Images
JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG - A joint law-enforcement operation involving the Hawks, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and private security company Fox has led to the rescue of 10 teenage boys in Johannesburg.
Boys seen walking half-naked
On Tuesday, 6 January 2026, authorities acted on a tip-off about a group of boys seen walking half-naked in a street in Mulbarton. On arrival, officers established that the teenagers were foreign nationals who could not speak English.
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During the intervention, law-enforcement teams were informed that two additional boys had already been taken away in a blue VW Jetta. The vehicle was later spotted in the Johannesburg CBD, where officers initiated a high-speed pursuit. The driver attempted to flee but was later apprehended, and the two boys were safely rescued.
A 47-year-old foreign national has been arrested in connection with the incident. Police said the suspect is expected to appear in the Booysens Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 8 January 2026, on charges related to being in the country illegally and on suspicion of trafficking in persons. All 10 teenagers have since been placed in the care of authorities, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident continue.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans weigh in
Social media users shared their opinions regarding the incident.
@AndrewBroun said:
"I wonder what happens to these people after being arrested. It’s like the story ends there, are they deported, is the person committing the crime sent to jail, is the person released on bail to continue what his doing?"
@SiyabongaG said:
"South Africa is a crime scene."
@SupremeKen2023 said:
"Human trafficking is not a South African thing. I’ve never known or seen a single South African human trafficker in my life. Not in the village, suburbs, kasi or city. We are a society of victims portrayed as a society of villains."
@Blaq_Ston said:
"Mzansi, our country."
3 More crime-related stories
- Briefly News also reported that A 14-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in Limpopo on 29 December 2025. Two suspects, aged 17 and 21, were arrested in connection with the incident on 3 January 2026.
- A 56-year-old man was arrested for shooting his family members in Limpopo's Mandela Village. The incident comes after an alcohol-fuelled argument that led to the suspect's 17-year-old son's death.
- Three suspects linked to gang-related shootings were arrested in Cape Town over the weekend. The three suspects were linked to a spate of gang-related shootings, murders and attempted murders in Cape Town.
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Source: Briefly News
