Zimbabwe

A human trafficking victim Margret Kachasu died on Wednesday in Muscat, Oman after succumbing to cervical cancer.

She was 40. The Zimbabwe Trafficking in Persons Advocacy (ZTIPA) chairperson Tabeth Masiyiwa confirmed the death of Kachasu who a domestic worker for Saif Alhabsi was.

"Margret succumbed to cervical cancer. Four days before her death she was requesting to be taken back home but unfortunately her employer could not fund the trip as he claimed that he had exhausted all his money on medical bills," she said."She reportedly bled profusely. The employer didn't know it was due to cancer till she could not work."

In conversation seen by NewsDay, Alhabsi said, "When we wanted to take her home she refused. Four days ago she started saying I want go go back home but the money was finished when we took her to the hospital.

"We didn't have any problem with her, she could do her job properly. But for the past two weeks she became seriously ill."

The deceased's brother Collin Kachasu told NewsDay that efforts were being made to repatriate the body from Oman.

"We went to the Foreign Affairs ministry and presented our case. We are now waiting a response from my relatives who are currently working in Oman. They said they were going speak to Zimbabwe's consular.

National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told NewsDay that he had not yet received the news.

Many Zimbabweans were trafficked to Oman for domestic slavery.

Recently government revealed that it was working on rescuing over 18 citizens who said they were being subjected to slavery by their employers.

"Plans have been put in place to repatriate our citizens from that country. We have given each other tasks to ensure that our people are taken back home," Home Affairs ministry permanent secretary told journalists recently.

He said police was handling 18 cases but there could be as many as 100 who were trafficked to Oman and are in need of help.

Masiyiwa said her organization appreciates government's efforts.

"We appreciate government's efforts to have some Zimbabweans women come back home because it's not safe out there. Fellow Zimbabwean women doing domestic work complain several times that they're not given time to rest. This makes their health deteriorate. We hope that those seeking to come home will get assisted soon," she said.

Source Bulawayo 24