Child sex ring uncovered in Durban
2009-03-24 09:48
Sharlene Packree
Durban - Top Durban businessmen have
been linked to a child prostitution syndicate, after a newly
formed provincial task team launched investigations into the
city's child sex trade.
Month-long investigations by the task team, which is made
up of organised crime unit members, National Prosecuting
Authority officials and child prostitution experts, has
revealed that some of the city's top businessmen have been
involved in the syndicate, which prostitutes children, some
as young as 10, to wealthy men.
The task team was launched after police noticed an
increase in crimes involving the sexual exploitation of
children.
The idea for the task team stemmed from an incident in
which a Sierra Leone man lured under-age girls into a sex
syndicate. The man promised the girls work, but instead sold
them to rich businessmen.
He charged his clients R1 000 for a night with a young
girl. The foreign national was arrested and charged under
the Sexual Offences Act, Child Protection Act and Human
Trafficking Act.
Asked for young girls
The businessmen are believed to have asked specifically
for young girls to engage in sexual intercourse and other
lewd acts.
While the names of the businessman could not be revealed,
police spokesperson Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said that
several had already been charged under the Human Trafficking
and Child Pornography acts.
He said the task team is still investigating the
syndicate and that revealing the men's names at this stage
will jeopardise the investigation.
The syndicate and an incident involving a 16-year-old
Phoenix girl who was allegedly drugged and raped by four
boys at house party, have prompted authorities to act fast
to prevent the further exploitation of children. The boys
allegedly captured the rape on a cellphone. The video is
also being circulated on the internet.
"This is a major problem for us. Matters that relate to
children and women are a priority and we can't gamble with
that. Those who exploit and abuse them will face the law,"
Mdunge said.
- The Witness
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