DA welcomes trafficking sentence

"The sentencing... sends out a strong message that trafficking and gender-based violence will no longer be tolerated and that such actions will not go unpunished," spokeswoman on women and children Jane Sithole said in a statement.

 

The Lowvelder reported on its website that Graskop Magistrate's Court had convicted Lloyd Mabuza, 60, and Violet Chauke, 20, of five counts of human trafficking and four counts of rape.

 

On Friday Mabuza was handed eight life sentences while Chauke was given a suspended sentence of 20 years and would be deported to her home country of Mozambique.

 

"The Mozambican girls, aged between 10 and 16, were smuggled into the country under false promises of education and a better life, and were held captive as Mabuza's sex slaves in a remote lumberjack village for three years," Sithole said.

 

She said it was believed that Mabuza's sentence was the heaviest imposed by a South African court for human trafficking.

 

"Even though the sentence will never take away the trauma experienced by the girls, the DA is pleased that the justice system is taking a firm stance against the scourge of child trafficking in South Africa."