Cape Town – A South African man has been located in a Bangkok prison by private security personnel working in partnership with a non-profit organisation (NPO), after escaping a large-scale human trafficking operation in Myanmar.
He was among 41 South Africans who fell victim to a fake job recruitment scam, which forced them to work in cyber-fraud compounds.
According to IOL, the 25-year-old man had been reported missing before he was eventually found in Bangkok. While being held captive by the traffickers in Myanmar, he endured repeated assaults for refusing to cooperate with the syndicate’s operations.
“This young man is one of the heroes.
“He was continuously assaulted because he refused to cooperate.
”He suffered a lot, and the media should give him a chance to tell his story”, said a source close to the rescue mission.
Key law enforcement agencies
The NPO has successfully secured his release and is now facilitating his repatriation to South Africa. Reports indicate that most of the victims targeted by the trafficking ring are from Mpumalanga province.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Chrispin Phiri confirmed that the department, in collaboration with the South African embassy in Bangkok and law enforcement agencies, is actively working to ensure the victim’s safe return home.
Following criticism that the matter had not been prioritised, Phiri added: “The South African embassy in Bangkok, in collaboration with Dirco and key law enforcement agencies, is actively addressing the issue of South Africans identified as victims of human trafficking. This matter is a priority and receives ongoing attention.”
According to The South African, the Thailand-based NGO Eden has been assisting numerous escapees, with over 1,000 people reportedly fleeing from Myanmar to Thailand in the past week.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the trafficking networks responsible for the exploitation of foreign nationals.
More than 1,000 trafficked workers have escaped to Thailand after an October 22 raid on an infamous scam center by the Myanmar military. pic.twitter.com/YkcXzGnTgD
— TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) October 28, 2025
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Compiled by Anda Tolibadi
