Defending DignityNPC Reg: 2020/920878/08

We are a collective of women professionals & survivors, united by a shared mission to eradicate GBVF, combat human trafficking & confront sexual exploitation.

[Defending DignityNPC Reg: 2020/920878/08 @DignityNpc]

Testimony

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

Thank you Mr President
The safe return of the South Africans lured into the Russia–Ukraine conflict is welcome and deeply relieving for their families.

But rescue is only step one. Accountability must follow.

The Presidency itself confirms:
• the men were lured
• they made distressed calls for help
• the recruitment is under investigation

This was not travel. It was deception.

South Africans now deserve answers:Who recruited them?Who facilitated it?Who knew and failed to act?

Human trafficking networks thrive when facilitators believe they will never face consequences. The real test is not only whether government can bring victims home - it’s whether it will bring perpetrators to justice.

We welcome the rescue.We await the prosecutions.
@DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

Two South Africans are now dead.
This is no longer a “misunderstanding” - it is a fatal human trafficking case.
Rescue without accountability is not justice.
Those who recruited, facilitated, legitimised, ignored warnings, or intervened selectively must be urgently investigated and charged - regardless of surname or political position.
We call on @PresidencyZA @RonaldLamola Ministry of Justice @SAPoliceService to ensure that the investigation into recruitment is transparent, independent, and swift.
Two lives are gone.
There must be consequences.
#EndHumanTraficking @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

#The report mentions the tragic case of 6yr-old #JoshlinSmith as an example of govt's efforts to prosecute perpetrators & with steep sentences. However, systemic challenges remain incl underfunding of programmes & weak law enforcement.
#EndTrafficking @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

The 2025 Report on Trafficking in Persons mentions Guesthouses being used as Trafficking hubs-sex trafficking - a concern we at Defending Dignity @DignityNpc were investigating before being violently attacked & info stolen. @DadaMorero I raised this with you at a public meeting

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

2/3 Our NGO @DignityNpc has witnessed the risks firsthand - having been violently attacked while investigating these networks & losing years of critical data. This shows how urgent & critical the situation is. We stand ready to support any efforts to disrupt trafficking

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

@DignityNpc 3/3 We at Defending Difnity @DignityNpc look forward to ongoing updates and a transparent, strong response from you @DadaMorero and @CityofJoburgZA. Thank you.
#EndTrafficking #ModernSlavery

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

🧵1/
Amanda Daniels-Smith's message to her daughter Kelly Smith - convicted kidnapper & human trafficker.
“How does your heart feel on Mother's Day? Do you not wish you were with your children too?”
#JoshlinSmith #StopHumanTrafficking @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

2/5
He then turned to the preamble of the Prevention & Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act (No 7 of 2013), which commits us:
• To impose penalties for trafficking offences
• To assist victims across borders
• To provide support and protection measures
@DignityNpc @mmkubayi

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

🧵In #JoshlinSmith, Judge Erasmus reminded us a child doesn’t live ‘in a village in a vacuum.’ Between 18–19 Feb 2024, 6-year-old Joshlin was trafficked—our village failed her from the start. ⚖️ #justiceforjoshlin #HumanTrafficking @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

Fruitful meeting with @Tourism_gov_za today! 🌍✈️ Human trafficking thrives in the shadows of the tourism industry. Hotels, taxis, buses, & flights are used to move and exploit victims. It's time for action! Well done Team #DefendingDignity @DignityNpc #Tourism #EndTrafficking

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

I live a world of gratitude & forever grateful & feel lucky when I knock at a door and it opens. Thank you Minister @PatriciaDeLille & your department @Tourism_gov_za for heeding that knock. Together we can combat human trafficking in the tourism industry. Rea leboha @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

@PHunadi This is an issue close to our hearts at @DignityNpc.

[Defending DignityNPC Reg: 2020/920878/08 @DignityNpc]

Oh absolutely. We believe poverty, gender inequality, exploitation are at the heart of many of the issues we tackle - human trafficking and sexual exploitation. #genderequality #GBVF #StopTrafficking

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

@PHunadi This is an issue close to our hearts at @DignityNpc.

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

Human trafficking is becoming more dangerous than ever. Beyond sexual exploitation & organ harvesting, traffickers now target women for human egg harvesting. Lured through fake social media ads, victims undergo invasive procedures, and their eggs are sold for IVF. @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

Couldn't have said it better. #EndSexualExploitation #EndSexTrafficking Kudos @MenVSexism

[Defending DignityNPC Reg: 2020/920878/08 @DignityNpc]

Real change will only happen when men hold each other accountable. Ending the sexual exploitation of women, girls & children starts with men speaking to other men. Silence enables harm. It's time to break the silence. #DontBeFishy. We applaud your efforts @MenVSexism #MaleAllies

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

@MenVSexism @DignityNpc Join the movement. Speak out. Challenge the culture. Don’t take the bait. Don't Fund Sexual Exploitation of Women & Girls. #DontBeFishy #EndExploitation #MaleAlliesChallengingSexism @MenVSexism @DignityNpc #EndSexTrafficking

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

The sexual exploitation industries (porn, prostitution, strip clubs, AI girlfriends, deepfakes, etc.) fuel male violence against women & girls. This campaign asks men to recognize their role in stopping this harm. #DontBeFishy @DignityNpc @MenVSexism #EndSexualExploitation

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

The message from @MenVSexism is simple: Sex doesn’t “sell” unless men buy. The billion-dollar industry thrives on men & boys being conditioned to consume female bodies. It’s time to break the cycle & reclaim agency over our choices. #DontBeFishy #EndSexualExploitation @DignityNpc

[Pinky Khoabane @pinkykhoabane]

Research shows many men use porn & exploitation as a coping mechanism for negative emotions. @MenVSexism encourages men to find healthier ways to cope—exercise, hobbies, emotional education, & real connections. #DontBeFishy #EndSexualExploitation @DignityNpc supports the campaign