-as physical attack, use of firearms in labour disputes spike

The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) is deeply disturbed by the escalating physical attack on workers and use of firearms by Chinese nationals working in Zimbabwe each time there is a labour dispute.
A video went viral on social media today 23 January 2025, showing violent attacks between an employee now known to be Kholwani Dube employed as an excavator operator by Ming Cheng Sino Africa, and some Chinese nationals said to be managers over pay dispute from the words coming from Dube. Ming Chang Sino-Africa is one of the big players in the mining sector in Zimbabwe.
The circulated video has Dube demanding unpaid wages, repeatedly shouting “Give me my money, I want my money, shoot me!” He is then aggressively restrained by some Chinese nationals, who bind his hands and legs with wire and threaten him with a pistol held to his head.
The information we have received so far is that the supervisor working with Dube at a construction site just because they had a disagreement declared that Dube should go home because he was fired (a language known to Chinese managers (GO HOMA) which did not go down well with Dube ,who went on to demand his dues immediately if indeed he was fired in such a manner.
This is something very common in the mining sector across the country particularly on most Chinese operated mines and other sectors in Zimbabwe. Majority of workers working for Chinese companies find it very difficult to exercise their rights and there is increased tension between Chinese nationals and Zimbabwean workers across the country.
Workers working for Chinese Operated mines are heavily frustrated due to poverty wages they are earning, poor labour standards provided, including being forced to work many hours of up to12-14 hours a day.
95% of those working for Chinese owned mines are working under short term fixed contracts, with no medical care, pension and any other benefit needed when retiring.
Worse, they are intimidated and victimised for participating in any trade union activity or joining trade unions making it difficult for them to collectivelly bargain for better conditions.
Chinese owned mines are known for massive labour abuse, including physical like what has happened to Dube. Similar incidents have been reported across the country and the trade union (ZDAMWU) has been condemning these incidents where workers and human rights are being violated.
We have been emphasizing on the need to protect workers’ and trade union rights to prevent human rights abuses as well as continued abuses of workers.
ZDAMWU is therefore demanding decisive action from government against these Chinese nationals at Ming Cheng Sino Africa and any other Chinese employer in Zimbabwe who is found to be abusing workers.
Further, we demand serious engagement with all Chinese investors or their representatives including the Chinese Embassy to address these grave concerns so as to uphold and restore dignity to workers and ensuring their safety and rights in terms of the law.
The Union shall also be pushing for the establishment of an all inclusive inspection committee within the NEC whose responsibility will be to investigate cases like this and recommend appropriate action to the relevant authorities.
Further, the committee will be mandated to inspect working conditions and environment prevailing including living standards that workers are subjected to.
The union is committed to any initiative that will address the tensions building up between Chinese nationals working in Zimbabwe and our local workers.
We are designing means to also have Chinese nationals working in Zimbabwe participate in our activities aiming to give them basic orientation on how to handle labour disputes.
As part of our 2025 union agenda, we will be engaging Chinese workers and their managers ensuring that peaceful and mutually respectful relations are restored to promote industrial harmony across the country living no mine worker behind.
*
J. Chinhema
General Secretary ZDAMWU
+263772976261/0717803553*