Chinese-owned businesses in Zimbabwe have come under fire for flagrant abuses of worker safety standards and human rights.
According to media reports , the current episode of mistreatment by the Chinese mine owner has once again brought attention to the exploitation of locals and unethical tactics used by Chinese employers in the African nation. In addition to the mistreatment, Chinese investors frequently accuse local employees of theft, verbal and physical abuse, and flagrantly breaking the law.
Chinese mining activities in Odzi, according to the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), a Manicaland-based organisation that governs natural resources, are flagrantly breaking the law in terms of health and safety.
A Chinese-owned gold mining firm that operates in Zimbabwe’s Mutare district’s Odzi peri-urban region has recently come under fire for allegedly mistreating employees and violating the nation’s labour rules and regulations, according to Africa Daily.
Notably, a number of gold mines are operated by the Chinese business known as Odzi Resources Zimbabwe Private Limited around the nation, notably at Mashava, Mbalabala, Bulawayo, Kwekwe, and Mazowe.
In a separate instance, the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) appealed to the Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe (September 19) to take action and make sure Chinese investors abide by local laws. China has recently sponsored and supplied financing for several infrastructure projects across Africa, including the new Zimbabwean parliament.
