A local mining company has come under the spotlight for allegedly treating its mining workers under dehumanising conditions, while posing a health threat to the community despite picking up huge returns from their mining activities.
Located on the outskirts of the city of Kwekwe is Indarama
mine, operating as Ming Chang Sino-Africa Mining investments, whose operations
have come under the spotlight following a slew of allegations bordering on
ill-treatment of miners at the firm.
Some of the firm’s management staff stand accused of
switching off electricity to the mining compound as well as cutting off the
source of safe water, leaving workers and their dependents relying on unsafe
water purportedly drawn from the mine shaft, thereby pausing some serious
health hazards to the miners.
Some workers claim to be staying in makeshift shacks with
no ablution facilities for over three years, while claiming to be working with
no protective clothing.
“As I am speaking to you, I might wake up jobless but some of the things here cannot continue unchallenged. We are being treated like animals in our own country by these guys. The jojo tank is drawing water from the mine shaft and yet we are supposed to drink it. We had some serious cases of diarrhoea and we are suspecting some cholera outbreak here,” said a worker.
“Working at this place has become such a nightmare, but at
times we are left with no option. Can you imagine I have been staying in this
shack since I joined this company for some three months and there is absolutely
no improvement? This side, there are no toilets at all and we have to make use
of the bush. I really hope government could intervene and get our living
conditions improved,” said another.
Another worker weighed in, “It is as good as we are waiting
to die at this place. Day in day out our situation is getting worse off. We
have tried engagement but the only result is those who are vocal are easily
shown the exit door.”
Government says it takes the allegations against the mining
firm seriously as the purported actions have no place in Zimbabwe under the
Second Republic.
“His Excellency the President’s vision of an upper
middle-income society earlier than 2030 leaves no one and no place behind
including those in mining areas. Ming-Chang Sino-Africa Mining Investments
(Pvt) Ltd, should therefore seriously consider the welfare of its workers and
the local community. It is unacceptable for workers to stay under deplorable
conditions that include overcrowding, limited access to decent housing,
ablution and medical facilities. All workers, whether skilled, semi-skilled or
casual have their rights at work which should be respected. Failure to provide
safety clothing and ill-treatment of workers is unacceptable in the Second
Republic,” said Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and
Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube.
The mining company’s directors claimed they were unaware of
some of the activities happening at the mine.
“As an investment firm, we believe in taking care of our
workers all the time. Like you heard the chairman saying, we will be carrying
out internal investigations at the firm and those found guilty will be fired.
Some of the issues raised surely can be corrected in the shortest possible time
and we will be restoring electricity and water for the miners,” noted Ming
Chang Sino Mining Investments mine spokesperson, Mr Eric Yan bo.
Ming Chang Sino Mining Investments, which officially took
over operations at Indarama mine in 2021, is currently mining and processing
gold and antimony through heap leaching activities, among others. ZBC
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