BULAWAYO – Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya has accused some Chinese nationals of killing, abusing, and exploiting small-scale miners, warning that the government risks a revolt in the gold sector if it fails to rein in the abuses.
Henrietta Rushwaya who is related to President Mnangagwa and she is the sister of Martin Rushwaya, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, said small-scale miners were “bleeding inside” as they endured mounting violence and mistreatment at the hands of some foreign investors.
“As small-scale miners, we are not happy with how foreigners, particularly the Chinese, are treating us. Our people are being killed and abused in cold blood,” Rushwaya said during the Mine Entra exhibition in Bulawayo last week.
“This is totally unacceptable. We are peace-loving, law-abiding citizens, but we will not allow our fellow miners to be killed on their own soil.”
She warned that continued government inaction risked igniting a backlash from the country’s hundreds of thousands of artisanal miners, who form the backbone of Zimbabwe’s gold output.
“We don’t want a revolution to come from the small-scale mining sector, especially when foreigners are concerned,” Rushwaya said.
“Those out in the bush know how unpleasant things could become if these abuses continue unchecked.”
Rushwaya said miners had remained disciplined and productive despite the tensions, with gold deliveries from both small- and large-scale producers reaching 33 tonnes by the end of September.
Relations between local and Chinese miners have deteriorated in recent years amid reports of violent clashes, assaults, and labour disputes.
The Chinese embassy in Harare recently issued a rare and strongly worded advisory to its nationals operating in Zimbabwe, urging them to comply with local laws, respect communities, and avoid involvement in disputes or environmentally harmful practices.
The advisory urged Chinese businesses to “build trust through community and environmental stewardship”, promoting fair labour practices and compliance with environmental laws.
“Act as a partner in Zimbabwe’s development,” the embassy said. “Corporate social responsibility initiatives are strongly encouraged as visible expressions of goodwill. Such proactive efforts foster mutual trust and strengthen community relations.”
The government has repeatedly promised tighter regulation of foreign investors in the sector, but enforcement has remained weak.
Speaking during the Zanu PF annual conference which ended last Saturday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa did not mention the Chinese in particular, as he told supporters: “As we welcome investors in our jurisdiction, we expect that they will adhere to the constitution and laws, while also respecting our people, customs and culture.”
Chinese mining operations have also faced criticism for environmental damage, particularly in Mutoko, where villagers blame blasting for cracked homes, destroyed farmland, and polluted water sources. Communities say they have seen little benefit from the exploitation of their resources.
In some cases, miners who have raised grievances have faced brutal retaliation. In 2020, two workers were allegedly shot and wounded by their Chinese employer after complaining about unpaid wages.
Gold Smuggling
Meanwhile ZANU PF’s internal divisions have taken a new twist, with one faction through its social media account accusing Chinese-linked business figures of orchestrating a vast gold-smuggling operation that is allegedly bleeding Zimbabwe of millions of dollars in mineral wealth.
According to insiders, a syndicate led by Chinese national Zuo Wenzhong and Australian businessman Moham Karim allegedly smuggled more than 120 kilogrammes of gold, worth an estimated US$10 million, from Kwekwe’s Silobela gold belt into the black market.
Their company, Podhill (Pvt) Ltd, is said to have declared less than 4kg of gold in 2024, despite internal records showing that thousands of kilogrammes were processed monthly.
Investigators allege that Zuo, together with associates He Huayang, Duan Yuanbin, and Taleb, ran a covert network that funnelled gold to Dubai and China, bypassing official export channels.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police Minerals and Border Control Unit has reportedly launched a full-scale probe into Podhill, Generous Resources, and Milhub, uncovering private financial ledgers and sales records suggesting gold worth over US$10 million was diverted from state oversight.
Analysts say the renewed focus on Chinese mining interests mirrors past allegations of large-scale mineral looting under former President Robert Mugabe, who once claimed that US$15 billion worth of diamonds had been stolen — largely implicating Chinese firms.
“This appears to be a rehash of the same old script,” said one political observer. “Whenever one faction within ZANU PF feels the Chinese are favouring their rivals, these allegations emerge. It’s less about justice and more about power manoeuvres within the party.”
The ongoing accusations underscore the complex nexus of politics, foreign capital, and corruption in Zimbabwe’s mining sector — and how ZANU PF’s factional battles continue to spill into the public arena.
