Hidden danger — Job offers lure victims into human trafficking traps

Human trafficking syndicates are quietly preying on ordinary Zimbabweans, using fake job offers, friendly recruiters, and promises that sound harmless, until it is far too late.

Authorities are warning residents to stay alert, as traffickers increasingly circulate adverts that carry classic warning signs. Red flags include jobs with no company name or physical address, free Gmail accounts for applications, promises of high salaries for vague office work, poor spelling and grammar, unusually wide age ranges, free accommodation or transport offers, and requests to send CVs without a proper interview. A recent advert targeting young women for positions in Sandton demonstrated all of these tactics, showing how traffickers lure victims into dangerous traps.

Over the years, Zimpapers has reported multiple human trafficking cases. One involved a Chinese national and two Zimbabweans accused of trafficking women, including minors, to China for forced marriages. The court later acquitted them due to lack of evidence. In another case, Zimbabweans were trapped in Sierra Leone after falling for fake job offers, exposing regional trafficking networks.

There have also been arrests and harsh sentences locally. A police officer and his niece were each sentenced to 20 years for trafficking three women to Oman under false employment pretences. In a separate, more severe case, a Zimbabwean woman received a 30-year sentence for trafficking nine women to Oman, where they were exploited by employers.

Authorities have highlighted evolving tactics, including the use of social media and the targeting of victims for organ harvesting. Syndicates have also been known to traffic Malawians through Zimbabwe to South Africa.

The Government has responded with a five-year national anti-trafficking plan, introducing tougher penalties and policy reforms. In one high-profile case, a civil registry officer, Mbire Stuyvesant Nhamburo, was arrested for attempting to traffic a child using forged travel documents.

Zimpapers reports from 2022 also revealed that many victims are recruited through social media or unlicensed agents promising lucrative domestic jobs abroad. Upon arrival in countries such as Oman and Kuwait, some were subjected to inhumane treatment including physical abuse, unpaid labour, restricted movement, and confinement.

Police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele told B-Metro that Bulawayo residents should be extremely cautious when responding to job offers. She advised verifying websites, visiting organisations physically when possible, and avoiding online money transactions with unknown companies.

Experts stress that poverty and unemployment make young women especially vulnerable to traffickers. They call for stronger border controls, stricter penalties for traffickers, and improved support systems for returnees.

Bulawayo residents are urged to remember that not every job offer is genuine. Sometimes, the promise of work can be the bait for a nightmare that stretches across borders and leaves victims trapped in a hidden, brutal world. *_-H-Metro_*