Chinese miner pulls gun on worker demanding overdue wages

A violent altercation at a Chinese-owned mining company in Gweru on January 21 has sparked outrage on social media, with renewed calls for action against Chinese investors accused of exploiting local workers.

The confrontation occurred at Bijou Farm, where Kholwani Dube, an excavator operator employed by Ming Chang Sino-Africa Mining Investments, clashed with his supervisors over unpaid wages.

Videos circulating online show Dube demanding his money, shouting, "I want my money! I want my money!" before tensions boiled over. Reports allege that Dube was owed $600 in unpaid wages, a claim that has fueled public anger.

Prominent voices, including Caston Matewu, the Member of Parliament for Marondera Central, condemned the incident. Matewu took to X (formerly Twitter), saying: "@PoliceZimbabwe what action has been taken against these Chinese miners? @nickmangwana the rest of these Chinese miners must be deported ASAP. We can't be prisoners in our own country."

However, the mining company presented a different version of events. In a statement, Ming Chang Sino-Africa Mining Investments accused Dube of disregarding instructions, taking an excavator without authorization, and threatening supervisors by allegedly attempting to run them over.

The company said its supervisor, Liu Haifeng, fired a warning shot to de-escalate the situation but was stabbed and seriously injured by Dube during the altercation. "Liu Haifeng fired a warning shot into the air, taking into account firearm safety procedures and without harming anyone. During a physical altercation, Dube stabbed and seriously injured Liu Haifeng, who was later hospitalized," the statement read.

The company claims that Dube was restrained by other employees and handed over to police unharmed.

However, video evidence paints a troubling picture. It shows three Chinese nationals holding Dube down, one kneeling on his back while pointing a gun at his head, while others appear to be restraining him. The ground nearby is visibly bloodstained, although it is unclear from the footage who was injured.

The incident has reignited concerns about the treatment of Zimbabwean workers by Chinese-owned companies, with critics accusing the government of failing to hold foreign investors accountable for labor abuses.

Police have not yet issued a statement on the matter, and investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, the public continues to demand justice for Dube and greater scrutiny of foreign investment practices in the country.