JOHANNESBURG – Seven Chinese nationals have been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each by the Gauteng High Court for the trafficking and exploitation of 98 Malawian workers, marking one of the most significant human trafficking convictions in South Africa’s recent history.
The convictions, handed down on 25 February, saw Kevin Tsao, Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian found guilty of multiple charges including human trafficking, kidnapping, and contraventions of labor laws. Their company, Beautiful City, was also fined R300,000.
The case originated from a tip-off to the South African Police Service about illegal immigrants being harbored at a business premises. When the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and Department of Labour inspectors raided the Beautiful City factory in Ekurhuleni on 12 November 2019, they discovered more than 100 employees working under what prosecutors described as “enslaved” conditions.
Warrant Officer Lulama Kona’s investigation revealed that the Malawian workers, including three minors, had been smuggled into South Africa without legal documentation, transported in trucks, and distributed across various factories in Croesus, Boksburg, and Benoni before being moved to Beautiful City.
The victims were paid below the minimum wage and subjected to appalling working conditions, with evidence showing they suffered severe injuries due to lack of protective clothing and equipment.
During sentencing proceedings, Senior State Advocate Valencia Dube argued for stringent penalties, emphasizing that human trafficking has become “a scourge in our country” with far-reaching consequences beyond individual suffering.
“Such offences not only have economic impacts but also affect the country’s greylisting,” Dube told the court, adding that these crimes “exacerbate unemployment in our country, as the accused opted to hire Malawians at lower rates.”
While each defendant received multiple sentences totaling 52 years – including 20 years for human trafficking, 10 years for kidnapping, 22 years for labor law contraventions, and three years for facilitating factory finances – the judge ordered that sentences run concurrently with the trafficking conviction.
The court deviated from prescribed minimum sentences, noting that the defendants were not the business owners, resulting in an effective 20-year prison term for each accused.
In delivering the sentence, the court acknowledged the prevalence of human trafficking in South Africa and accepted the State’s characterisation of trafficking as “an ongoing criminal process,” reflecting public frustration with foreign nationals involved in such crimes.
“The NPA and DPCI welcome the sentence as the accused blatantly disregarded the rule of law,” said Phindi Mjonondwane, NPA Regional Spokesperson for the Gauteng Division. “They came to South Africa to commit crimes by exploiting vulnerable people who were sold false promises of employment.”
The conviction represents a significant victory for South African law enforcement agencies working to combat human trafficking networks operating across international borders.
“Human trafficking remains a scourge, and as law enforcement, we are committed to dismantling and eradicating this criminal network,” Mjonondwane said.
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