The Department of Employment and Labour has confirmed that sentencing proceedings in the high-profile trial of seven Chinese nationals convicted of human trafficking and child labour have been postponed to next week.

The matter was due to proceed at the Gauteng South Division Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday, June 26, 2025. However, the Court was informed that pre-sentencing reports had not yet been officially submitted.

According to the Department, Advocate Valencia Dube informed the Court that all the accused were allocated probation officers to prepare pre-sentencing reports. While all the accused were visited by social services, their reports were not yet ready for submission.

The convicted individuals, Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian, were found guilty on February 25, 2025, of 160 counts. These included human trafficking, aiding and benefiting from trafficking, keeping persons in bondage, and a wide range of labour law violations.

The convictions followed a joint operation in November 2019 at Beautiful City Pty Ltd, a textile factory based in Village Deep, Johannesburg.

The operation was conducted by the Department’s Inspection and Enforcement Services branch, the SAPS/Hawks, and the Department of Home Affairs, following a tip-off. The raid uncovered illegal immigrants, some of them minors, who were working in locked factory conditions.

“The seven were found guilty of violating South Africa’s labour laws by not registering with the Compensation Fund and declaring their operations; failure to keep records of their earnings; failure to submit their return on earnings; failure to pay and declare assessments; failure to maintain a safe workplace; failure to report incidents; failure to register and declare with the Unemployment Insurance Fund Commissioner; failure to inform the Commissioner on Unemployment Insurance changes.” Departmental spokesperson Teboho Thejane said.

“In addition, they were found guilty of human trafficking, aiding/facilitating human trafficking, bondage, benefiting from victims of human trafficking, and assisting illegal immigrants to remain in South Africa.”

A new legal twist emerged during proceedings when defence Counsel J. Kruger, who had represented the accused since 2019, announced that his mandate had been terminated.

“Defence Counsel J. Kruger regretted to tell the Court that his mandate has been terminated,” Thejane said.

The accused are now expected to be represented by Goodgall Attorneys.

Six of the seven convicted individuals remain in custody. Only accused number six, Dai Junying, has been released on medical grounds.

The case is provisionally scheduled to return to court on July 4, 2025, for submission and review of the pre-sentencing reports.

IOL News

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