The Hawks have arrested 30-year-old Yonela Sapepa in Johannesburg in connection with an alleged human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation network operating in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape. Image: Yonela Sapepa instagram
The Hawks have arrested 30-year-old Yonela Sapepa in Johannesburg in connection with an alleged human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation network operating in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape. Sapepa is the second suspect arrested in a case linked to school deputy principal Vuyokazi Gana, who was arrested in October 2025 on allegations of running a brothel in Quigney.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, has arrested 30-year-old Yonela Sapepa in Johannesburg in connection with an alleged human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation network operating in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape. The arrest brings a second suspect into custody in a case that has been under active investigation since the arrest of school deputy principal Vuyokazi Gana in October 2025.
How Sapepa Was Found
The Hawks had been publicly seeking Sapepa’s whereabouts for several days before her arrest. On Tuesday 19 May 2026, Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana confirmed that the investigation had been stepped up and that the Hawks were urgently seeking public assistance in locating Sapepa, who had been identified as a person of interest believed to possess information of significant value to the matter.
“Sapepa was last seen in various places within the province, including KuGompo, Mthatha and Gqeberha,” Mhlakuvana said at the time. South Africans across social media shared the Hawks’ appeal widely in the days that followed, with many tagging the Hawks directly and urging anyone with information to come forward.
Sapepa was subsequently located and arrested in Johannesburg. She is accused of recruiting and selling young women into prostitution as part of the alleged commercial sexual exploitation network. She faces charges of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
The KuGompo City Case
The investigation into the KuGompo City human trafficking network began with the arrest of Vuyokazi Gana in October 2025. Gana, a school deputy principal, was arrested on allegations of running a brothel in the Quigney area of East London in which young women were allegedly sexually exploited. The arrest of a school deputy principal in connection with human trafficking shocked the Eastern Cape community and drew national attention to the case.
Sapepa’s arrest as the second suspect in the same investigation suggests that the Hawks have established the existence of a broader network rather than an isolated individual operation. Investigations are continuing and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
Human Trafficking in South Africa
South Africa remains classified as both a source and destination country for human trafficking, with young women from vulnerable communities being among the most frequently targeted individuals. The country’s high unemployment rate, at 32.7 percent nationally, creates conditions in which traffickers and recruiters are able to exploit economic desperation to lure victims into exploitative situations with promises of legitimate income and opportunity.
The Hawks’ Organised Crime component handles human trafficking investigations across the country and has made several significant arrests in recent months as part of intensified operations against trafficking networks. The National Human Trafficking Hotline on 0800 222 777 remains the primary reporting channel for members of the public with information about suspected trafficking activity.
What Happens Next
Yonela Sapepa is expected to appear before a court in connection with the charges of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. A court date had not been confirmed at the time of publication. Investigations into the broader KuGompo City network are ongoing.
Anyone with information about human trafficking activity is urged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline on 0800 222 777, the Hawks on 08600 10111 or to submit information anonymously through the MySAPS App.
Editors Note Yonela Sapepa and Vuyokazi Gana are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. All charges referenced in this article are unproven and will be tested in court. Mzansi Today Live will update this article as further information becomes available.