Landmark human trafficking, sexual slavery judgment upheld
4 September 2017
Pretoria - The landmark 2014 judgment that sent a wealthy Mpumalanga timber tycoon, Lloyd Mabuza, to prison for eight life terms, has been upheld by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria after the court dismissed his appeal to have the conviction overturned on Thursday.
The landmark sentence was the harshest sentence ever handed down for human trafficking in South Africa and marked the culmination of a two-year long trial that highlighted the sordid side of cross-border human trafficking of underage Mozambican nationals for sexual exploitation.
Described as a sexual predator who preyed on and abused underage girls, Mabuza, 65, of White River, was found guilty on multiple counts of rape, human trafficking and sexual slavery, and sentenced in to eight life terms November 2014.
Monica Nyuswa, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga DPP, said Mabuza had noted an appeal only in respect of his conviction, and the dismissal thereof by the High Court on Thursday "means that he would serve his eight life terms in prison".