Seven Chinese men are accused of human trafficking and child labour. Image: Pixabay.
Trial of Chinese men accused of human trafficking and child labour to resume
‘The Chinese factory is alleged to have been employing 91 Malawian nationals, 37 of them were children,’ said the Labour Department.
Seven Chinese men are accused of human trafficking and child labour. Image: Pixabay.
The trial of seven Chinese men accused of human trafficking and child labour is expected to resume in Gauteng in November 2022 after the State secured a Mandarin interpreter.
CHILDREN ALLEGEDLY EMPLOYED AT JOBURG FACTORY
The seven accused men – Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian – were arrested in 2019 in a joint operation by the Hawks, Labour Department and Home Affairs.
The men allegedly ran an illegal enterprise called Beautiful City Pty Ltd in Village Deep, Johannesburg.
The Malawian workers at the factory testified that they worked behind closed steel gates that were strictly controlled.
The workers said they were subjected to beatings, and insults and exposed to hazardous working conditions.
“The Chinese factory is alleged to have been employing 91 Malawian nationals, 37 of them were children. The Court has since heard that most of the Malawians working in the factory were transported to South Africa through containers,” said Labour Department spokesperson, Teboho Thejane.
TRIAL OF CHINESE MEN TO RESUME IN NOVEMBER
At the moment, five of the Chines accused are out on bail. Chen Hui, accused number two, and Zhang Zhilian, accused number seven, were re-arrested for violating their bail conditions by attempting to flee South Africa.
The matter was first brought before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court in 2020 and transferred to the High Court in September 2021.
In October 2021, the Chinese men admitted guilt to violating several labour laws in a statement read by their attorney, Jannie Kruger.
However, the seven will stand trial to face schedule six offences, including trafficking in persons, contravention of the Immigration Act, kidnapping, pointing a firearm, debt bondage, benefitting from the services of a victim of trafficking, conduct that facilitates trafficking, illegally assisting person(s) to remain in South Africa, and failure to comply with duties of an employer.
Kruger raised concerns over the delays in the case and blamed the State for the drawn-out matter.
The accused are expected to appear in the High Court on 18 November.
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