There used to be a time not very long ago when this great nation was held together by the great fabric instilled and inspired by its founder and one of the greatest leaders to ever live on the face of the earth, His Majesty King Moshoeshoe I. The principle of love and peace has imbued the very being of Basotho for generations because that is what we have always been known for.
In fulfilment of same, it used to be men’s responsibility to take care of all the women and protect them at all costs, more so if they were family, friends or neighbour.
However, all that has greatly depleted as men have become their own worst enemy tormenting whom they should be caring for.
Elsewhere in this publication we run a piece about a man who enticed a poor woman entrusting him with life by luring her into a sex slavery lair under the pretext of finding her employment, how reprehensible! To make matters worse, he is the very one who sexually assaulted her first, more than betraying her trust.
The surge of poverty exacerbated by high unemployment rate has come at the very centre of human trafficking.
This was divulged during a welcome ceremony of a 22-year old woman who was trafficked into sex slavery in the neighbouring Republic of South Africa, Johannesburg since 2019.
It is reported that the woman from Thaba-Tseka, had been lured into sex slavery when she was promised a job as a domestic worker by a person she knew from Maputsoe in the Leribe district. However, what was to follow for her, was three years of intense sex slavery regardless of the fact that, at the time of her departure she was a nursing mother to a four months old child.
“We are very proud for bringing our sister home to her family and friends after such a long time from 2019. She was promised a better life but unfortunately fell into the traffickers’ trap and she became the victim to the horrible sex trafficking,†said Tumelo Raboletsi, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Meanwhile, Consul of Lesotho to South Africa based in Johannesburg Liranyane Thamae, explained that he had received a call during Christmas holidays from the Lindela Repatriation Centre in South Africa where people waiting to be deported back to their countries are kept, about the woman.
He continued that he ordered them not to take her to the Centre but to the Ministry of Social Welfare in South Africa where the office of the Consular General will take her back home as it is its duty in different countries.
Thamae said the victim had explained that upon her arrival, suspect suddenly changed when they got home by threatening her as well as locking her in the house. He added that the victim said on the first day she was sexually assaulted by the suspect then later about six men sexually assault her too.
