South African police announced on Thursday they had rescued 44 Ethiopian nationals—17 of them minors—who were allegedly being held captive in an affluent area of Johannesburg.
The group was discovered in a house in Sandton, one of the city’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, following a tip-off prompted by cries for help.
Officers on patrol responded and found the victims locked inside several rooms, according to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo.
“We found 44 illegal immigrants locked in rooms, and 17 of them are minors,” Masondo told local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
He hinted that authorities were awaiting the arrival of interpreters to better communicate with the rescued individuals and gather more information.
This case marks the latest in a series of human trafficking incidents in South Africa, which is often viewed as a gateway destination for undocumented migrants from across the African continent.
In March, police rescued 32 Ethiopians—many of them children and young adults—after they reportedly escaped captivity in a Johannesburg suburb. It is not yet known if the two incidents are linked.
Earlier this year, in January, authorities found 26 undocumented Ethiopians—naked and without identification documents—allegedly held by traffickers in the city. And in August last year, over 80 people were discovered in squalid conditions in another suburban house in Johannesburg.
South African authorities have pledged to crack down on trafficking networks and better protect vulnerable migrants who often fall victim to criminal syndicates.
