Chinese companies fuelling anti-China stir | Economic Times

The approach of Chinese companies towards local employees is fuelling anti- China sentiments in Zimbabwe. It became evident after two blasts shook Zimbabwe’s Mazowe district late last week. The two gas explosions left eight people dead including six Chinese nationals. The police are investigating the cause of the explosion.The incident happened at the mine about 50 km (30 miles) north of the capital, Harare, local police said. While villagers mourned the death of a local but had no sympathy for the Chinese nationals, according to local media reports.The reports pointed out that villagers from around SAS Mine in Mazowe described the slain Chinese managers as `stubborn’ and very dis-respectful who ill-treated locals.The incident has brought focus on the prevailing conditions in the area with regard to ill -treatment meted out to the employees by the Chinese managers, according to local sources. After the first explosion, the area councillor had requested Chinese managers to halt all the operations but later did not pay heed. Instead, these managers had smuggled workers from outside and warned workers with dire consequences.The local media reported that the local councillor Taera Tapererwa, from Mazowe South Ward 2 confirmed that the Chinese managers were quite rude to the employees. The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe has maintained that it is in close communication with responsible Zimbabwean authorities and has asked the Zimbabwean side to help with emergency care and investigate the cause of the incident.The embassy has urged Chinese companies in Zimbabwe to enhance safety production awareness and immediate conduct thorough inspections of workplace practices including management of raw materials to avoid similar incidents.Experts on Zimbabwean affairs are not hopeful about any change in the situation on ground. Zimbabwe is under deep influence of China.Available reports suggest that there is a fear among the locals that China would take away their assets if Zimbabwe fails to return the loan amount. China has done heavy investment by providing huge loans to Zimbabwe. Local newspapers have reported from time to time that Chinese companies have been ill-treating local labour and not paying proper wages.An incident was reported where local employees were shot dead by a Chinese employer at a mine when the labourers demanded their legitimate outstanding wages. There have been several incidents where Chinese company owners have not paid any heed to Zimbabwean law.On several occasions, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union ( ZCTU) has raised objections against the assault of local workers by Chinese employers. The ZCTU has been successful in building pressure on the Chinese companies to mend ways. ZCTU has been taking up issues with Chinese companies following complaints of exploitation of local employees. ZCTU had launched a social media campaign to raise awareness about the working and living conditions of the workers in the factories. The Chinese company called ZCTU’s actions as “corporate bullying” motivated by “hidden agendas”.Several other allegations have been levelled against Chinese companies operating in Zimbabwe. According to a 2016 report by the Brookings Institution, there are at least 10,000 Chinese nationals in Zimbabwe, many of whom work in the mining, telecommunications, and construction sectors. There were reports of workers’ strike in a mining company against low wages in 2019.