SA babies born in foreign jails

Johannesburg - A number of infants and toddlers born to South African women are languishing in foreign prisons with their mothers who have been been incarcerated for drug trafficking.

One baby died at birth.

This was revealed by Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini at a media briefing on the successful repatriation of two babies, whose mothers are serving prison terms in Brazil.

The Social Services Department says it has repatriated 16 children born to South African women in foreign jails so far.

“I want to highlight the extent and threat of transnational organised crime, in particular illicit drug trafficking. It destroys the lives of young women, their families, and brings misery to the lives of their children.

“I also want to highlight the services that our department provides to South African citizens in distress in foreign countries,” said Dlamini.

A breakdown of the number of babies in foreign prisons shows Latin America as the favoured destination of South African drug mules.

Dlamini said pure greed was one of the main reasons people get lured by drug syndicates. And with the football World Cup in Brazil next year, the department expected more cases of mules being arrested.

Dlamini mentioned one case in which a woman who managed to get away bought a Mercedes and made renovations to her mother’s house.

“It’s greediness,” she said.

In the past few months there had been an “unprecedented increase” in the arrest of drug mules, mainly women from South Africa.

“Twenty-eight South Africans were arrested in Brazil alone since the beginning of this year. This can be attributed to the recent Confederations Cup hosted in Brazil.

“The number is likely to increase during the build-up to the World Cup if necessary measures are not put in place to disrupt the drug cartel networks in South Africa.”

Dlamini’s spokeswoman, Lumka Oliphant, told of a child dying at birth in one case.

She said the department was working with the SA Social Security Agency in cases where children were left behind while their mothers serve time abroad.

Hawks organised crime investigator Brigadier Ebrahim Kadwa said hundreds of foreign drug mules were serving time in South Africa.

A total of 281 were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport, 80 of whom were women.

“We are arresting foreign nationals at regular intervals,” said Kadwa.

A breakdown of South African babies returned home from foreign prisons:

* Brazil: 9

* Argentina: 2

* Ecuador: 1

* Peru: 1

* Venezuela: 3

South African babies still in prison:

* Bolivia: 1

* Hong Kong: 1

* Mozambique: 1

* Tanzania: 1

The Star