Seven Chinese nationals were sentenced to 20 years in prison in the South Gauteng High Court on Wednesday.
The group of four men, three women: Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian, faced 160 charges, including human trafficking, child labour, and multiple violations of South Africa’s labour laws and were convicted of the charges on February 25, 2025.
The multiple labour laws include failing to register their business, keeping financial records, or maintaining safe working conditions.
The group was arrested in November 2019, after a joint raid conducted by the SAPS, Hawks, Department of Employment and Labour, and Home Affairs following a tip-off of the group allegedly involved in trafficking illegal immigrants to South Africa and subjecting them to forced labour.
Their business, Beautiful City Pty Ltd, an unregistered garment manufacturing company based in Village Deep in Johannesburg, was found to be holding over 100 illegal immigrants, including children, in the locked premises of the business.
The raid uncovered exploitation, human trafficking and child labour.
During the raid, officials also uncovered 91 Malawian nationals in the factory, of which 37 were children.
During the trial, it was revealed that the Malawians were smuggled into South Africa in containers.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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