The SA Government signed and ratified the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (Palermo Protocol) in 2004.
The Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013 was adopted in July 2013 and came into operation on 9 August 2015, and the National Strategy Plan was launched in April 2019.
There are Provincial Task Teams and Rapid Response Task Teams set up in each province, as well as a National Inter-sectoral Committee for Trafficking in Persons (NIC:TIP) and a National Rapid Response Task Team. These platforms are co-chaired by the Dept. of Justice and Constitutional Development and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Each key Department has internal directives, regulations, National Instructions and / or Standard Operating Procedures on Trafficking in Persons.
A Generic training manual and Sector Specific training manuals have been developed, with several members of the various key Departments and Civil Society having been trained as trainers, in the latter.
The national Standard Operating Procedure for Integrated Assistance to Victims of Trafficking was launched in December 2020.
