Two more young girls have been rescued from being sold for sex, and four people have been arrested, Gauteng police said on Thursday.
The girls were lured into a child-prostitution ring after they ran away from an orphanage in Johannesburg, said Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini.
”Apparently two women introduced themselves to them after they had been on the street for a few days. There is a big market for very young children to sell sex in Pretoria,” he said.
Police were tipped off to the situation, and arrested two men and two women in Pretoria on Thursday.
”So far, more than 50 children have been rescued since the operation against sexual exploitation of children started three months ago,” Dlamini said.
He said parents can stop their children becoming victims of child prostitution by being more careful and exercising more control.
”Parents could also be charged under the Child Care Act if investigation reveals they were responsible,” he added. — Sapa