Several women claim that they are being sexually abused by their bosses at some coal mining companies in Hwange, investigations carried by Truth Diggers have revealed.
Truth Diggers is an investigative unit under Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), publishers of NewsDay, The Standard, The Zimbabwe Independent and Southern Eye.
AMH also operates an online radio and television station, Heart and Soul.
A number of coal mines, mostly owned by Chinese companies, have sprouted in the area since President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration came into power.
According to labour unions sexual harassment is more pronounced within the Chinese-run companies in Hwange.
Truth Diggers also established that the harassment include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
A recent visit to 3-Main North (Zhong Jian Investments), showed that a large number of women had been subjected to gender-specific violence, such as sexual harassment including sex-oriented comments or jokes by their male counterparts, mainly Chinese nationals.
“I worked for a Chinese company for one month and two weeks,” said one former Zhong Jian Investments employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation.
- Zim violates Global Fund regulations
- Sexual abuse of women rampant in Hwange’s coal mines
Keep Reading
“The second week after I got employment, a male Chinese national would fondle my breasts and backside without my consent almost every day in the corridor.
“Tired of the abuses, one day I was forced to beat one of the Chinese after he fondled my breast in the passage.”
The victim said she reported the incident to the company‘s human resources department.
“I reported the sexual abuse to the human resources assistant (Yvonne Sibanda) who alerted the Chinese boss about the incident,” she said.
“The culprit apologised and the boss assured me that remedial action would be taken.
“After that, the Chinese started victimising me and I had no choice, but to quit employment.”
Zhong Jian Investments group human resources manager, Sibongile Mhindu, refuted the sexual abuse allegations against the company’s senior employees.
“Zhong Jian Investments has never entertained or endorsed any sexual harassment cases,” Mhindu said.
“Any such reports whenever they are any, we take them quite seriously and take action.
“We do not know any information on this matter and if any victim claims sexual harassment they should follow proper legal remedies including reporting to the police and justice system.”
Several women confirmed that the sexual harassment was widespread at the Chinese companies in Hwange.
“A Chinese worker once asked to have sexual intercourse with me in exchange of money,” said one of the female workers.
“When I refused his request, I was transferred to another department where working conditions were extremely hard especially for women.”
Some workers also claim that they have been shown unsolicited sexual images.
Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) general secretary Justice Chinhema said the issue of gender-based violence in the mining industry was now endemic.
“The issue of gender-based violence in the mining industry is rampant across all the region and districts,” Chinhema said.
“The mining industry is a male- dominated sector, so a few women who are working in the sector are being abused sexually.
“I want to give examples of Hwange where we have so many expatriate workers who come on their own without their wives.
“These people are abusing female workers. As an organisation, we have seen that we have a serious problem because most of these abuses are happening but unreported to the police.”
Chinhema said the union was also informed of an incident where a female worker was raped by a Chinese in Gwanda.
Apart from the Chinese, Chinhema said the union also received reports of abuse of female workers by their male colleagues.
He bemoaned the lack of mechanisms on how to report violence and abuse in mining companies.
“As an organisation, we have taken the initiative to educate our women about the abuses,” Chinhema said.
“We are also trying to reach out to the mining companies so that they know that there is gender-based violence which is human rights abuse that cannot allowed.”
As part of addressing the issue, ZDAMWU is planning to organise a labour forum in Hwange where various stakeholders would be invited.
“We are planning to have a labour forum, which will involve all stakeholders such as National Social Security Authority (NSSA) officials, police, government officials and management of the mining companies,” said Chinhema.
“This abuse of our women cannot continue. They are employed to earn a living and not to be wives of those whom they work for.
“This rampant abuse of women must end across all regions where mining is taking place and we confirm in other regions where the Chinese have come to employ there is rampant abuse and harassment of women.”
He also added that the union has crafted a gender-based violence policy, which is going to be implemented by the union in mining companies.
“We want the policy to be a national gender policy, which covers the mining industry.
“We are going to push that policy through the national employment council, which deals with the mining industry,” revealed Chinhema.
ZDAMWU president Gracious Sibanda, said the union has also received reports of female workers who were forced to wash underwear for their male bosses.
She also observed that most of abuses were not formally reported since the victims fear losing their jobs.
“Most of these ladies do not know that this is sexual harassment,” Sibanda said.
“Normally, they do not report for fear of victimisation or losing their jobs but the union has got several cases that have been brought to our attention.”
Police in Matabeleland North province said they were yet to receive reports of the alleged sexual violations.
“I am not aware of specific complaints of that nature (sexual abuse) and I am not in the office,” said Matabeleland North police spokesperson Glory Banda.
The Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) director Farai Maguwu, also confirmed that the organisation had also received reports of rampant sexual abuse at the coal mines.
“We have received many reports of abuse by Chinese which borders on modern-day slavery and outright racism,” said Maguwu.
“Most of the Chinese nationals coming to Zimbabwe do not bring their spouses, hence they use their position as employers to commit sexual crimes and locals are reluctant to report to police for fear of losing their jobs.
“Some women are forced to flush toilets after use by the Chinese in Hwange.”
Greater Whange Residents Trust coordinator Fidelis Chima said they had been receiving complaints of Chinese nationals that were allegedly abusing female workers.
“We work with various organisations including trade unions and we refer such cases to progressive trade unions,” Chima said.
“We roundly condemn such incidents, and we hope the ministry of labour will do thorough investigations into the allegations.”
