Chinese nationals convicted on 160 charges of human trafficking sentenced to 20 years in prison

Posted on September 10, 2025
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Chinese nationals convicted on 160 charges of human trafficking sentenced to 20 years in prison

Zuko Komisa

Image | @kayanews/X
  • Seven Chinese nationals have been sentenced to 20 years each in prison for human trafficking, child labour, and other related offences in Johannesburg.
  • The convictions stem from a 2020 raid on a factory where 37 Malawian nationals, including minors, were found working in appalling conditions after being smuggled into the country in shipping containers.
  • The victims were subjected to forced labour, unlawful wage deductions, and were paid as little as R6.50 per hour while living in inhumane conditions.

Seven Chinese nationals have each been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a shocking case of human trafficking and forced labour. The group, which includes Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei (42), Chen Hui (54), Qin Li (60), Jiaqing Zhou (51), Ma Biao (62), Dai Junying (63), and Zhang Zhilian (56), were found guilty on a staggering 160 charges.

The charges include human trafficking, child labour, and assisting undocumented immigrants. The case was brought to light after a raid by the Hawks at a factory in Johannesburg’s Village Deep, operating under the name Beautiful City (Pty) Ltd.

During the raid, authorities rescued 37 Malawian nationals, including several minors, who had been smuggled into South Africa inside shipping containers.

They were forced to work and live in “inhumane conditions” at the factory.

According to the Hawks, the victims were found living in an uninhabitable state and toiling in a factory filled with dust, with no ventilation or windows. The workers, including children as young as 15, reported being paid as little as R6.50 per hour for 10-hour shifts, seven days a week, with no days off or holiday leave.

The workers also faced unlawful wage deductions and were denied overtime pay. The factory was found to have no occupational health and safety measures in place, including no proper risk assessments or protective equipment for its employees.

The sentencing brings an end to a case that has highlighted the grim reality of human trafficking networks operating in South Africa, exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit.

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