More than 30 Zimbabwean women suspected to be victims of human trafficking were rescued by South African police from brothels in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga province where their captors used them as sex slaves.

The Zimbabweans were part of a group of 50 victims among them males, from other countries which included the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria and locals.

South African provincial police spokesperson for Mpumalanga Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the suspected victims of human trafficking were rescued in a pre-dawn raid on Friday targeting various houses in eMalahleni.

He said some of the women rescued were sex workers and others had been kept against their will.

He added saying that the area targeted was believed to be harbouring prostitutes, drug dealers and illegal foreign nationals.

During the operation, police barricaded the streets and raided the houses.

Brig Hlathi said similar operations would be conducted in other towns in the province.