About 50 South Africans were stuck after fleeing human trafficking and scam operations in conflict-hit Myanmar.
A South African man reported missing after being rescued from a Myanmar scam centre has been found in prison in Bangkok, Thailand.
According to sources, the 25-year-old man whose name is known to The Citizen, was found by the private security of one of the non-profit organisations (NPOs) assigned to rescue 41 South Africans who escaped from the scam centre in Myanmar a few days ago.
‘One of the heroes’
A source said one of the NPOs got the man out of prison and is arranging a flight home for him.
“This young man is one of the heroes because he was assaulted continuously in the compound because he refused to cooperate,” said the source.
“He suffered a lot and the media need to give him a chance to tell his story.”
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Dirco accused of being slow to help
The source accused the department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) of being slow in assisting the victim to get home.
According to the source, most of the victims are from Mpumalanga. Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri denied the allegation that the department was slow in responding to the Myanmar crisis.
“The South African embassy in Bangkok, in collaboration with Dirco and key law enforcement agencies, is actively addressing the issue of South Africans identifying as victims of human trafficking.
This matter is a priority and receives ongoing attention,” he said. Phiri said the NGO known as Eden in Thailand was supporting the escapees.
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