Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
HUMAN trafficking has been taken up a notch higher by traffickers over the years and no one is safe, immigration officials have said.
On Friday, Bulawayo took a stand against this heinous crime as hordes of people flocked to Mpala Events and Conference Centre for the Human Trafficking Awareness Dinner where South African songstress, Ami Faku was the guest artiste. It was a red-carpet affair at the establishment where issues to do with human trafficking were discussed with the idea of raising awareness of its existence and dangers.
In attendance were police and Government officials, artists, students, members of the public as well as corporate personnel.
Bulawayo Metropolitan Province spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube said human trafficking has of late been rife and no one is safe.
“You cannot be too careful nowadays. Human trafficking is real and age is not a barrier. Anyone can be trafficked and one cannot be too careful. We now have a Commercial Crimes Unit to deal with human trafficking and other pertinent crimes that see transactions of huge sums of money. It’s a serious crime to transport one without their consent,” said Inspector Ncube.
In harmony with Ncube were two fellow panellists Anna Dube, Southern Region Principal Immigrations Officer Bekezela Ncube and Laurine Mangoma, a trade lawyer from Marondera who discussed in detail how one can be lured to danger and end up being a victim of human trafficking.
Event coordinator for Mpala Group, Gugulethu Tshuma, said the need to educate the masses on human trafficking triggered the event’s hosting.
“During the past weeks of extensive research around human trafficking in Zimbabwe, the number of people who were not only aware that human trafficking is real was astounding.
“Therefore, something had to be done and to complement Government efforts of availing adequate information on this subject, we saw it fit to host such an event,” Tshuma said.
Class was indeed in session, but never was entertainment in short supply.
Veteran media personality Arthur Evans directed events and a host of Zimbabwean talent curtain-raised for Ami Faku.
These included nascent female DJ Just Drey, teenage sensation Zyla Storm, Rudo Amor and the Outfit Band who kept the audience at their feet before the Asibe Happy hit-maker took to the stage.
When it was time for the main act to perform, Ami Faku wouldn’t pass the opportunity given to her and mesmerised the crowd with songs such as Imali, Phakade Lami and Ndikhethe Wena just to name a few. – @eMKlass_49
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter