Seventeen young South Africans have been repatriated after being trafficked through Thailand and exploited in Myanmar.

Authorities warned that many of these cases start with overseas job offers pushed on social media, especially when the pay sounds unreal and the details are vague. In the cases linked to the latest repatriations, officials said recruitment sometimes came from people victims already knew, including family, former colleagues, acquaintances and church members.

Authorities believe around 120 South Africans have fallen victim to these trafficking networks since March last year. Victims have come from provinces including Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the Free State, the North West and the Western Cape.

Inside the Scam Compounds

One repatriated 25-year-old, who asked to be identified as “The Don”, said he left South Africa in November 2024 looking for work after seeing an opportunity online.

He said recruiters handled communication via WhatsApp and email and that he was placed in work that did not match his skills. He described poor living conditions, limited contact with family and repeated punishments.

A separate survivor account described being taken to a compound near the Thai border and then instructed to run online romance scams, including pretending to be a woman and targeting older men in the US and Europe for money.

Rescue and What Happens Next

“The Don” said the situation changed after someone died and the facility was surrounded by military and police. He said the site was shut down and victims were rescued.

Government’s repatriation process involved a co-ordinated response through the National Intersectoral Committee on Trafficking in Persons, with multiple departments involved in getting victims home and linking them to support.