ONE of the biggest challenges police face in combating human trafficking is the relationships forged between perpetrators and victims.

ONE of the biggest challenges police face in combating human trafficking is the relationships forged between perpetrators and victims.

During a meeting of Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation in Benoni on the East Rand on Friday, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said that there were instances in which police had difficulty enforcing the law because an agreement existed between those brought into another country against their will and those bringing them.

"It is only when a crime has been committed that we get to know there was something wrong," Mthethwa said.

The meeting, which brought together ministers of police from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, was to assess the countries' state of readiness to handle cross-boarder crimes during the World Cup.

Reflecting on the progress, member Chilika Simfukwe, based in Zimbabwe, cited recent raids in Limpopo in which people were arrested for crimes that included vehicles theft, confiscation of firearms, seizure of drugs and arrest of illegal immigrants.

Mthethwa also allayed security fears following the death of a righ-twing leader Eugène Terre'Blanche, who was allegedly killed by two of his farm workers.

Some Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leaders have threatened to avenge Terre'Blanche's death.

There have been reports of black people being assaulted in incidents believed to be related to Terre'Blanche's death.

Mthethwa said: "South African police have presented a security plan to all member countries. We have executives from Fifa and Interpol as part of us. There is no right-wing threat in South Africa."