Government agencies applaud 20-year sentences for human trafficking ring

SEVEN Chinese nationals were sentenced for human trafficking and other charges, a result welcomed by the Justice and Constitutional Development and Employment and Labour Ministries, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).

- THOBEKA NGEMA

The accused, Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian, along with their company Beautiful City, faced 160 charges. They were convicted of the charges on February 25, 2025.

A tip-off led to their arrest at a business suspected of harbouring an illegal immigrant. This prompted a DPCI investigation by Warrant Officer Lulama Kona, revealing that on November 12, 2019, officers raided the Beautiful City factory in Ekurhuleni.

Over a hundred enslaved employees were discovered, underpaid, and living in appalling conditions. Evidence showed they were smuggled into South Africa without documentation via trucks, then placed in various factories in Croesus, Boksburg, and Benoni before being moved to Beautiful City.

Senior State Advocate Valencia Dube argued for a harsh sentence, emphasising that human trafficking is a national scourge with economic consequences, contributing to the country’s grey listing and unemployment due to the accused hiring Malawians at lower wages.

Acting Judge David Mhango emphasised the gravity of the offences and said that human trafficking, kidnapping, and bonded labour were among the gravest crimes a court could deal with.