RELATIONS between locals, who include low-level employees, villagers, chiefs, and Chinese nationals have deteriorated in the Dolo and Filabusi areas as workers allege assault and abuse by the Asian nationals, prompting political and traditional leadership to intervene to curb the violations.
Chinese workers descended on the villages bordering Mberengwa and Insiza districts in the Midlands and Matabeleland South districts after a giant mining company engaged Chinese partners to develop chrome mining operations in the area.
The expatriate workers are being accused violence, bribery, corruption and human rights violations.
According to reports, an employee at the mine was assaulted by a Chinese national. The matter was reported to the police and it was later withdrawn in what insiders say are unclear circumstances. Speaking during the Dolo/Insiza Town Hall meeting held at Mapeume Secondary School in Filabuse recently, the villagers stated that the community require a clinic, pre-school, dip tanks and road infrastructure.
According to the villagers, several households lost livestock, severely affecting their only source of income.
Everlet Gumpo told the meeting that the Chinese are mining on her plot without her consent, destroying the environment and grazing area.
“There is nothing we can do. When they arrived, they promised to rehabilitate the land, but they have not done so. We are now suffering from dust due to their mining operations,” she said.
“If we are not careful, the Chinese can promise to mine in an area for 10 years but end up extracting everything in just three. We will be left with nothing if we are not vigilant.”
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Mandlenkosi Ncube told the meeting that he was formerly employed by the Chinese before being unfairly dismissed.
“We were told to go on holiday, but when operations resumed, we were informed that we had been fired. I was hurt — and still am. What pains me most is that they are operating in our area, yet we are benefiting nothing,” he said.
Another villager told Southern Eye that most of the workers are given targets to meet and earned as little as US$80 a month.
“There is hard labour which is barely paid for by the international partners who do not regard workers’ rights in their operations,” he said.
“We are not given any protective clothing except gumboots and most of the workers use worn-out personal protective equipment (PPEs) and the employers do not care.”
Mapeume Secondary School SDC vice-chairperson Alexander Maphosa said a number of workers were injured and they received little support from the miners.
“They work without PPE, leading to serious injuries. It is not safe at all. They endure excessively long shifts — 16 hours per day. Our children are being degraded, just like our land,” he said.
“When the Chinese arrived, they did not introduce themselves properly. We are not against development, but we need companies to respect us as locals. Currently, villagers are only benefiting from dust, pits and diseases. We demand tangible development.”
Traditional leaders at the meeting bemoaned the challenges they are facing with the Chinese miners and asked their local partners to engage them.
Chief Chizungu said the miners should rehabilitate the land after completing their operations.
“We thank the local miners for engaging with us. We are hopeful that the company will fulfil all its promises,” he said.
“We would also like to encourage them to develop other areas and not concentrate solely on one jurisdiction as there are three chiefs under whose authority the miners will be operating.”
His counterpart, Chief Bankwe, also called on the miners to respect the locals.
“Any agreements made with them must be honoured. We appreciate you for engaging with the community and look forward to working with you,” he said.
