By Fanuel Chinowaita
Harare, January 23, 2025 – The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has raised alarm over the alleged use of firearms by Chinese nationals in Zimbabwe to resolve labor disputes.
This follows a viral video showing a violent confrontation on January 21, 2025, involving Kholwani Dube, a Zimbabwean excavator operator at Ming Chang Sino-Africa Mining Investments in Gweru, who was reportedly bound and threatened at gunpoint over unpaid wages.
Dube, in the video, was seen demanding his unpaid salary and repeatedly shouting, “I want my money!” before being tied and held at gunpoint by Chinese employers. CNRG noted that Dube was allegedly dismissed without a disciplinary hearing, in violation of Zimbabwean labor laws.
CNRG linked the incident to a broader pattern of labor abuses in Chinese-run enterprises, citing low wages, lack of contracts, and violations of human rights. Previous cases include reports of Chinese nationals assaulting workers, such as an incident at Makanga Mine in Bindura.
The advocacy group has called for immediate government intervention, urging a full investigation into the Gweru case, the circumstances under which Chinese nationals obtain and use firearms, and steps to ease rising tensions between Chinese employers and local workers.
The CNRG emphasized the need for lawful and peaceful resolutions to labor disputes, advocating for stronger labor protections and the accountability of employers in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.