Department of Employment and Labour
Seven Chinese nationals are currently on trial in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
The seven face charges of human trafficking, kidnapping and violation of labour laws.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A State witness has told the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg of the painful and difficult working conditions, he and his colleagues allegedly experienced at a Johannesburg factory owned by seven Chinese nationals accused of human trafficking.
Matola Ndika was testifying in the trial against Kevin Tsao, Dai Junying, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao and Zhang Zhilian, which is currently underway.
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A witness in the trial of seven Chinese nationals facing human trafficking and child labour charges has detailed horrific working conditions and human right violations endured by workers in a Johannesburg factory.
In a statement on Monday, Malawi national Fraser Aufi, in the Johannesburg High Court testified that, at the factory, he and his fellow nationals were subjected to long working hours, debt bondage, hazardous working conditions, insults, assaults and violation of basic human rights by the accused.
Aufi, said the department, testified that his dream of becoming an entrepreneur was shattered the day he set his foot at Beautiful City Pty Ltd, the company that employed them.
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The seven face charges of human trafficking, kidnapping and violation of labour laws.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg heard allegations of how seven Chinese nationals, accused of human trafficking, treated employees at their Johannesburg factory.
The trial against Kevin Tsao, Dai Junying, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao and Zhang Zhilian is currently underway. Aufi told the court that, initially, the Chinese refused to open the gates until the police climbed over to free them, and how the accused tried to bribe the police with food, the department said.
Worker tells court how Chinese nationals, accused of human trafficking, abused staff
By IOL Reporter
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A witness in the trial of seven Chinese nationals facing human trafficking and child labour charges has detailed a web of abuse he and fellow nationals were subjected to including being subjected to long working hours, debt bondage, hazardous working conditions, insults, assaults and violation of basic human rights.
Fraser Aufi, a Malawian national, testified in the Johannesburg High Court today. He also told the court that his dream of becoming an entrepreneur was shattered the day he set his foot at Beautiful City Pty Ltd, the company that employed them.
Human traffickers now facing 160 criminal charges
The seven Chinese nationals allegedly trafficked 91 workers, including children, into SA in containers and forced them to work for R65 a day.
A witness in the trial of seven Chinese nationals who are facing human trafficking and child labour charges has testified that workers at a factory allegedly transported to SA in containers, were paid a salary of R65 a day and expected to work seven days a week.
The wintess, Maxwell Kamanga told the Johannesburg High Court that workers who exercised the “option” of not working on weekends faced a penalty of having R40 deducted from their salaries on a Monday and Tuesday of the new week.