South Africa drafts internet providers to fight trafficking

Cape Town: Internet service providers in South Africa will be obliged to report internet addresses on their servers that are suspected of containing information related to human trafficking, the country's justice minister said.

This is among the provisions contained in a new bill aimed at curbing human and child trafficking in the country, BuaNews reported Wednesday.

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The Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill, announced by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe in parliament Tuesday, will give South African courts jurisdiction in respect of acts committed outside South Africa if those acts would have been an offence under the bill had they been committed in South Africa.

Radebe said the Bill, once it becomes an act of parliament and is fully operational, will be one of the most comprehensive laws in the fight against human trafficking in the country.

He rubbished claims that the Bill had been rushed ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup which starts in June.

"This has got nothing to do with the World Cup ... it's been a work in progress since 2003. Of course 2010 will come with its challenges because of the World Cup and we have a duty to make sure the country is safe," said Radebe.

Trafficking in persons is said to be a worldwide phenomenon and is one of the most lucrative criminal enterprises globally. People are trafficked mainly for sexual exploitation and forced labour.
Source: IANS