Although South Africa has ratified the Palermo Protocol ? a UN protocol which requires signatories to combat human trafficking and to protect and assist victims of trafficking ? it does not, as yet, have any specific laws which deal with trafficking.

However, draft legislation has been prepared in a bid to institute a specific law against human trafficking. In the interim, there is a special Task Force on Human trafficking, led by the NPA, which co-ordinates counter-trafficking efforts in the country.

Currently, perpetrators of human trafficking can be tried only in terms of the Sexual Offences Act, the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and the Immigration Act. Unfortunately this very often means that traffickers are tried for 'lesser' offences or the victims of trafficking inadvertently become regarded as criminals themselves.

"Until human trafficking is abolished, there is still more a government and other stakeholders can do to fight human trafficking," says Khokhar.

"For South Africa the need to have a law against human trafficking is of utmost importance. This will be followed by a commitment to enforcing the law by prosecuting the perpetrators, protecting victims, and finding ways of preventing the crime."

But, government is not solely responsible for eradicating the scourge of human trafficking. Civil South Africa also has a role to play. Human trafficking, like any other 'business' works on the principle of demand and supply. As long as there is a demand ? for cheap labour, virtually-free domestic servants, sex work and child prostitution or pornography ? traffickers will make sure that it is met.

As a society, we have to accept moral responsibility for the atrocities we have allowed to go on unnoticed, unchallenged. It is time that we, as South Africans, prove our commitment to the ideal that no person should be held in slavery or servitude. It is time that we cared.

IOM has a helpline number (0800 555 999) which is manned by trained professionals who are at hand to receive calls relating to human trafficking from the public.