South Africa police have arrested a 25-year-old South African for allegedly holding four Zimbabwean illegal immigrants hostage at Chebeng village in the Seshego area of Polokwane City.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo, Captain Matimba Maluleke identified the suspect who was arrested on Monday as Raymond Sithole.
The police spokesperson said Sithole illegally smuggled his victims aged between 15 and 20 years into the neighbouring country after promising them good jobs.
He said Sithole kept the four at his house and would force them to steal and do other jobs for no pay.
“The four victims were allegedly kept under lock and key after being smuggled into South Africa with false promises of good jobs and better lives here. In some cases the suspect would severely assault them if they failed to comply with his orders.
“The Limpopo Hawks unit got wind of the alleged exploitation and arrested the suspect,” he said.
