A WAGE dispute at a Chinese-run mining company in Gweru turned violent Tuesday when an aggrieved employee threatened to crush his employer with an excacator after failing to get his dues.
Officials at Chinese Ming Chang Sino-Africa Mining Investments company confirmed the incident and identified the aggressor as Kolwani Dube.
Reports say Dube took the keys to an excavator and drove it towards his supervisors, forcing the manager, Liu Haifeng, to fire warning shots to defuse the tension.
The matter was reported to police under case number CR77/01/25.
“Dube was suspended for disobeying direct instructions from his supervisors earlier in the morning. He is fully aware of that as he signed the suspension forms,” the company said.
“He came back to the farm and robbed excavator keys from a fellow employee, apparently demanding his salary for January salaries which we will only pay next week in accordance with our calendar.
“For the avoidance of doubt, his salaries are up to date as is the case with all our employees. I can confirm that the man holding the gun is the one in charge at the farm and therefore keeps the gun in a safe gun cabinet for safety reasons.
"He is also highly trained in firearm handling and a part of our on-site security apparatus. Kindly note that no shots were fired at the individual. We are committed to ensuring a safe and respectful work environment for all employees, and we will proceed in accordance with established protocols to address this situation appropriately."
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Efforts to get a comment from Dube were fruitless.
