A South African court has sentenced seven Chinese nationals to 20 years in prison each for human trafficking and kidnapping, following their conviction for smuggling Malawian nationals into the country and forcing them into exploitative labour conditions.
Kevin Tsao, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian were found guilty on 158 out of 160 charges, which also included aiding illegal immigration and violating labour laws.
Their sentencing comes nearly six years after a dramatic 2019 police raid on a factory in Johannesburg, where authorities rescued 91 Malawian nationals as 37 of them children, from inhumane working conditions. The operation followed a tip-off from a worker who had managed to escape.
According to court evidence, the victims were trafficked into South Africa inside shipping containers and forced to work under harsh conditions in a textile factory named Beautiful City, which produced cotton used in blankets.
Employees were subjected to 11-hour shifts, seven days a week, with no proper training or safety equipment. Testimonies revealed that workers were paid significantly below South Africa’s legal minimum wage of R30.42 ($1.64) per hour and were penalised financially if they requested time off.
One survivor told the court that workers were confined to the factory premises, which were heavily guarded, and were denied permission to leave — even to buy food. The meals they were given were described as unhygienic and “unfit for human consumption.”
Under South African labour law, employees are entitled to a maximum of nine working hours per day and a minimum 36-hour rest period per week, including Sunday, unless otherwise agreed.
Authorities said the factory was unregistered and had failed to comply with labour regulations, including keeping financial records and registering workers.
Kevin Tsao served as the factory manager, while the other six co-accused acted as supervisors, according to local media outlet News24.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the verdict, calling it a significant step in combating the scourge of human trafficking in South Africa.
“Human trafficking has become a scourge in our country. We have become a destination due to various reasons, including our porous borders,” said NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
The Department of Labour, which was involved in the 2019 raid, also praised the outcome and called for stronger interdepartmental cooperation to combat human trafficking and illegal labour practices.
