By Own Correspondent

A Chinese coal mining firm, Zhong Jian Investments Private Limited is allegedly ordering employees to pay various amounts for a number of offenses and in the worst case scenario, threatening to dismiss workers for calling for a strike in direct contravention of the Labour Act.

Established on April 5, 2018, is a Chinese private enterprise legally registered in Zimbabwe, mainly engaged in mineral mining, mineral product processing, mineral product sales and export.

At present, the company has more than 150 Chinese employees and more than 1200 local employees. It currently operates three mines and six washing and processing plants.

The company is headquartered in Borrowdale District, Harare.

A leaked notice sent to the company’s employees dated June 27 2023 and signed by the firm’s Human Resources Manager Charlotte Chipaya stipulates a number of monetary fines to the employees.

“Dismissing without supervisor’s permission US$10 , Not reporting for duty without supervisor’s permission  US$20, Not putting on PPE US$20, misuse and unauthorised use of company property US$20,Failure to follow supervisors orders US$10,” says the notice in part.

Contacted  for comment over the heinous fines which disregard the country’s Labour Laws in totality, Chibaya did not pick up the phone calls.

She neither responded to Whatsapp messages despite having blue ticked as confirmation that she had read the texts.

The matter has since drawn the attention of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) who have criticized the blatant violation of the country’s labour laws.

Early this year, Greater Whange Residents Trust alleged the company was discharging coal emissions into the water point at Makwika village, resulting in death of fish, and sadly people were selling the fish to residents of Makwika.