Seven Chinese nationals accused of human trafficking and the violation of labour laws have again applied for bail in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. According to a statement from the Department of Employment and Labour, the accused’s legal team had filed for access to transcripts in order to lodge another application. The court heard on 5 May that new evidence was being brought forward.
The suspects were arrested on 12 November 2019 for allegedly running an illegal enterprise called Beautiful City (Pty) Ltd located at Village Deep in Johannesburg. The arrest followed a tip-off to police that the group was allegedly involved in the trafficking of illegal immigrants into South Africa and subjecting them to forced labour. A joint operation between the Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services, the police, Home Affairs and the Hawks resulted in the discovery of 91 Malawian nationals at the factory. Thirty-seven of these were children.
The seven suspects were arrested and during a court appearance on 20 March 2020, bail was denied. During the bail hearing, the court heard that the Malawians working in the factory were transported to South Africa in containers, allegedly by a middleman known as ‘the transporter’ who was still at large.
The accused would be charged with schedule six offences, including human trafficking, debt bondage, and kidnapping. The Department of Employment and Labour was also pressing for prosecution relating to the violation of South Africa’s labour laws.
Magistrate Basimane Molwana remanded the accused in custody, pending their next court appearance on 14 May.
