A Johannesburg court handed down 20-year prison terms to seven Chinese nationals for trafficking 91 Malawian citizens and forcing them to work under abusive conditions at a fabric factory.
The sentencing took place on Wednesday in the Gauteng South Division Court, after the group was convicted in February of human trafficking and multiple labor and immigration offenses.
The case centered on a cotton fabric plant in Village Deep, an industrial hub in southern Johannesburg.
From 2017 to 2019, the factory operated with a perimeter wall, razor wire, and armed guards to keep workers confined.
Police raided the site in November 2019, rescuing dozens of victims who had been stripped of their freedom.
The defendants — identified as Shu-Uei Tsao, Biao Ma, Hui Chen, Quin Li, Zhou Jiaquing, Junying Dai, and Zhilian Zhang — were accused of running a scheme that exploited Malawians under false promises of decent work.
Many victims had previously worked at Chinese-owned businesses in Malawi and were recruited with misleading offers.
Court testimony revealed that workers endured 11-hour shifts every day of the week, including holidays. They were barred from outside contact, denied proper food, and prohibited from bringing personal items.
Prosecutors described how employees were made to operate unsafe machines without training or protective gear, leading to injuries.
Victims also recounted being transported in windowless trucks and kept in isolation once inside the compound.
Prosecutors had pushed for life sentences, citing the scale of the abuse and the inhumane treatment.
The 20-year terms are among the harshest penalties issued in South Africa for labor trafficking in recent years, signaling a stronger stance against modern slavery practices.