SA furious as human smuggler sentenced to 6 months imprisonment: "This must be a joke"

• The South African courts sentenced a Mozambican national to six months imprisonment or a fine for human smuggling
• The man appeared before the Komatipoort Magistrates Courton on 27 December after he was caught smuggling 14 Mozambican children
• South Africans lashed out against the criminal justice system, and some called it an unfair sentence

With nine years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

KOMATIPOORT, MPUMALANGA—The criminal justice system has come under fire after a convicted human smuggler was sentenced on 27 December 2024 to six months or a fine for smuggling 14 Mozambican children through Mpumalanga.

Human smuggler given light sentence

According to the South African Police Service, Moises Mate's sentence was wholly suspended for three years on the condition that he does not smuggle children or any illegal foreigner into or out of the country again. Mate was arrested on 6 December 2024 after a taxi with 14 girls was stopped on the N4.

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After appearing in court a number of times, he pleaded guilty and was handed down the sentence. The Border Management Authority saved 14 children who were smuggled through the Beitbridge border on 6 December. They were found in a bus en route from Mozambique.

South Africans disappointed

Netizens commenting on the @SAPoliceService's X account were livid.

Mr Sxllo was shocked.

"Six months imprisonment or a fine for human (smuggling)?"

Kommander Josh said:

"Human (smuggling) is 15 years imprisonment for each count. Which magistrate gave such a pathetic sentence?"

Xuffler said:

"We must do away with Roman-Dutch law."

Noma said:

"I'd have been embarrassed to post this. Our justice system is an enabler."

Fhatuwani said:

"What an insult to South Africans. Shame on you."

Simphiwe asked:

"So basically, you can traffic humans to South Africa at a cost of less than R1400 per person?"

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Teenager sentenced to 5 years for murder

In another article, Briefly News reported that a Gqeberha teenager was sentenced to five years in prison for stabbing someone to death. An altercation in August 2023 led to the victim being stabbed multiple times.

The offender and the victim were walking home as part of a group when they encountered another acquaintance. Conflict ensured, and as a result, the victim was stabbed to death.

Source: Briefly News