The discovery of 13 Ethiopians held captive without food in a three-bedroom suburban house in Parkhurst, northern Johannesburg, is evidence that the scourge of human trafficking can happen right under our noses.

According to police, of those held captive before being rescued by a guard from a local security company, four were minors aged between 14 and 15 years. The captives were found with their hands bound and some had suffered injuries during the breakout.

Police have said that they are investigating a possible case of human trafficking or smuggling.

This horrific incident points out that human trafficking is a major problem that happens in our own backyard,  often without being detected.

In fact, the owner of the property where this latest discovery was made said he had been renting out the house to a tenant through an estate agent for the past seven months.  He learnt from police that the tenant had allegedly used fake documents to get the lease.  No community is immune to this type of organised crime driven by syndicates who prey on the most vulnerable.

Trafficking of women, children and men for the purpose of exploitation is a horrendous crime that ought to have no place in our society.

But last week, Gauteng Hawks boss Maj Ebrahim Kadwa told this newspaper that various suburbs in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Heidelberg, Benoni and Springs are recognised trafficking hotspots.  Kadwa said police had made strides with rescues and arrests in recent months.

It is possible that those who were held hostage were trying to bypass immigration laws to get into SA, but no one deserves the treatment they received from their alleged captors.

This incident and others continue to highlight the need for law enforcement to do more by raising awareness and for all of us to be more vigilant to stop this growing epidemic.

A report by the US Agency for International Development released last year found that between January 2018 and December 2021, of the 98 children identified as victims of human trafficking, 59 were from SA. The report further said of 754 adult victims from more than 30 countries, 445 were South Africans.

These disturbing figures indicate the extent of the predatory evil targeting both migrants and our own children. We all can play a part in combating this.