Hawks arrest man for trafficking and rape of 15-year-old girl in Cape Town

A 37-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly lured a 15-year-old to Cape Town under the pretence that she was going to study but forced her into marriage and was arrested and charged for trafficking in persons and rape.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks said the teenage girl who travelled alone to South Africa in March 2025 after being told she would be relocating to study.

According to the Hawks, the girl met the accused in Johannesburg and travelled with him to Cape Town, where she was allegedly forced into marriage shortly after arriving.

The Hawks said the girl was expected to engage in sexual intercourse with the man and was physically assaulted when she refused.

Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani said the victim later managed to escape.

“The girl was apparently deceived under the pretence that she was relocating to South Africa in order to study,” Hani said.

The Hawks said the victim reported the matter at a police station in George in November last year, after which the case was referred to the Hawks for further investigation. The minor was subsequently moved to a place of safety in Cape Town.

Following an intensive investigation, the suspect was arrested on January 22. He is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of trafficking in persons related to forced marriage and rape.

Efforts to address human trafficking in the Western Cape have included prevention, awareness and victim-support programmes led by provincial authorities and partner organisations.

The Western Cape Department of Social Development has conducted awareness campaigns at transport hubs and in communities to highlight common trafficking tactics, including deception through false promises of education, employment or marriage.

The department also funds shelters and victim-support services through its Victim Empowerment Programme to ensure survivors are placed in protective care once cases are identified.

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