Pearl Shongwe is a well-known radio personality who works on The Morning Flava with Mo Flava among others, she is also a television presenter, voice artist, newsreader, scriptwriter, and facilitator on some of South Africa’s top television stations and Radio broadcasters such as SABC and Metro FM.

Read more: Ntsiki Mazwai: The Problem Is Black South African Men

To say that the country is currently under the siege of a human trafficking syndicate is an understatement since lockdown had begun, there have been reports of women and children going missing across the country. Celebrities like L’vovo and Lerato Kganyago have been outspoken about this on their Twitter accounts and even shred vital information with their followers.A thread of how my nephew survived an attempted kidnapping this afternoon. He was walking home from my moms shop (500m/less). A man walked passed him, (in a hurry). He dropped a roll of cash, my nephew (“N”)saw it & called after to tell him he’d just dropped his money.
8:04 PM · Sep 22, 2020It came as a shock yesterday when Pearl Shongwe took to her Twitter account to share a thread of how her nephew narrowly escaped a kidnapping and possible human trafficking ordeal.

“A thread of how my nephew survived an attempted kidnapping this afternoon. He was walking home from my moms shop (500m/less). A man walked passed him, (in a hurry). He dropped a roll of cash, my nephew (“N”)saw it & called after to tell him he’d just dropped his money.”

“The man asked him to please pick it up for him, which he did. He gave him the money and suddenly the man pulled a knife on him and searched his pockets. My nephew had his phone on him. They had an exchange because my nephew wanted his phone back. 3 other men showed up in”

“a Toyota Taz and the man said “Lo sihamba naye”. Luckily N’s friends were close by and saw what was happening. A man who works at a nearby shop also noticed that something was happening and alerted off-duty police that were next to his shop. They and some community members came”

“to his aid. The kid was fighting for his life nothing breaks my heart more. He thought he was being the child he’s raised to be by helping an adult, kanti it’s a trap. I spoke to him & when I asked how he’s feeling, he said ‘Futhi intliziyo yam’ ibuhlungu but ngizoba right’.”

“They got away. The car registration that was taken down was fake. It’s one of many incidents that have been common in Sebokeng & Orange Farm (Infact SA nje) sorry to every parent that has to tell their kids they can’t go play. I’m sorry that our children can’t just be children”

“The trauma the thought of what could’ve been is killing us but him especially. Grateful that he’s safe.”
This is just one of many horror stories that are causing women to live in fear in Mzansi, including the increase in gender-based violence at the hands of men.

How do you think human trafficking can be solved?