Parliament pass Human Trafficking bill

This week Parliament finally passed the long awaited human trafficking Bill without out any amendments.

Presenting the Bill in parliament Defence, Justice and Security Minister Ramadeluka Seretse said the piece of law would provide for prohibition, prevention and combating human trafficking.

Following the passing the Bill, Seretse said the next step would be to educate members of the public because they have been a number of things that people are doing that can be constituted to human trafficking. 

“This law will stop exploitation of others for a certain gain and we might as well as begin to clean up bad practices,” he said. 

Debating the Bill Mahalapye East Member of Parliament Botlogile Tshireletso said the absence of a law against trafficking of persons in Botswana had resulted in perpetrators going unpunished.

Giving shocking examples of victims of human trafficking the emotional legislator noted that vulnerable groups such as women and children are the most affected.  

She added that most incidents happen in villages where children are taken in as labourers and young girls are used as sex toys

Said Tshireletso, “the absences of this law made a number of countries question our integrity”. 

For his part MP for Kgalagadi North Phillip Khwae said trafficking of persons is very eminent in Gantsi as majority of children are taken to farms to become herd boys.