Home Affairs standing firm on unabridged requirement

Loyiso Langeni

03 July 2015

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said several child advocacy groups are in support of the new requirement specific to travelling with a child, saying it will go a long way in preventing child abduction and child trafficking.

The new requirement states that children travelling in and out of the country need to have an unabridged certificate.

Minister Gigaba said The UN Office on Drugs and Crime Global Report on trafficking in persons 2014 says child trafficking, of both boys and girls, is commonly reported in Sub-Saharan Africa, whereas almost all victims detected in North Africa and the Middle East are adults.

Sub-Saharan Africa reports the highest share of child trafficking in the world, and girls and boys are more or less equally detected particularly girls. From Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria and South Africa reported high shares of female involvement, nearly 50 per cent, during the reporting period.

Meanwhile Minister Gigaba has requested that the Director General and other departmental officials to intensify stakeholder engagements, relating to the implementation of legislative amendments and regulations.

Minister Gigaba It should be clear that this is not about a review of regulations, but working together to ensure smooth implementation and to mitigate against any potential unintended consequences.

Gigab added that it is in working together, as government, non-governmental organisations, business, labour, and broader society, that we can strengthen our efforts in this area, ensuring smooth implementation in the interest of children, communities, SA’s economic goals and national security.