Calvin Manika
A new Chinese company, Dinson Colliery based in Hwange has been caught in the eye of a storm after reports of detaining 91 of its employees at its premises as a measure to curb the spreading of the novel coronavirus emerged.
The Zambezi Times understands that the workers who are now disgruntled have been in forced quarantine for almost three weeks.
A source close to the developments told this publication that an agreement was made between the Chinese company owners and their employees that anyone not comfortable with the forced quarantine arrangement will be terminated from the contract.
Dinson Colliery, which still under construction is located just after Lukosi in Hwange towards Bulawayo. The mine after full construction will be specializing in producing coal by-products in the form of coke, tar and gas and most of its employees come from villages around the colliery area.
The major sources of coal will be Hwange Colliery Company Limited and Makomo Resources.
This publication has it from impeccable sources that the employees are complaining as they want to visit their families. “They feel like they have stayed long in quarantine,” said the source.
The mine has 35 rooms which are being used by the employees under quarantine, sharing theses rooms in groups or 4 and 5 per room. The company is proving breakfast, lunch and supper for workers.
However sources say, despite measures to curb the spread of the disease, it was unfortunate that cases have been reported inside the Chinese complex.
In a recorded phone audio interview, one of the workers locked at the mine is saying some workers who become sick were sent home without an assistance or treatment facilitated by the company. The audio interview indicates that no tests are being done at the company and the locked group is at risk of contracting the lethal corona virus.
Dinson Colliery Human Resources Manager Brighton Mpariwa’s phone was not reachable and he had not responded messages sent to him by the time of publication of this story.
Chinese coming to Hwange have always been under spotlight for the wrong reasons with cases of unpaid wages, abuse of workers and massive job actions by employees in Chinese companies rampant.
Meanwhile, latest Covid-19 statistics show that Hwange has 156 positive cases PCR, 40 Antigen and 4 deaths as of 25 January 2021.
