Zimbabwean women employed by Chinese-owned mining firms are facing what union leaders describe as systemic abuse, ranging from sexual harassment and unlawful dismissals to demands for HIV test results as a precondition for work.
The claims were made by Justice Chinhema, general secretary of the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU), who said conditions confronting female workers in the sector were “alarming” and in urgent need of scrutiny.
In an interview with CITE, Chinhema argued that the scale of the alleged mistreatment warrants intervention not only at the national level but also from international labour bodies. Said Chinhema:
“We are seeing so many female employees bringing cases of abuse, unlawful touching and body shaming. The situation on the ground is very disturbing.”
He said women employed at several Chinese-run mining operations have reported routine sexual harassment and degrading treatment.
Some, he claimed, are crudely labelled “small Maria” or “big Maria” — nicknames tied to their body size.
Beyond the alleged harassment, the union says it has received complaints that prospective female employees are being asked to produce HIV test results as a condition of employment.
Chinhema pointed to a recent case in Inyathi in which three women were allegedly dismissed, with one termination said to be directly linked to the employee’s HIV status.
The union has escalated the matter to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), arguing that the dismissals amount to discrimination and breach international labour standards.
He described the Inyathi incident as emblematic of what he alleges is a pattern of foreign employers sidestepping Zimbabwe’s labour laws and basic human rights protections.
According to Chinhema, the ZDAMWU now plans to raise the issue with the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Labour, among other authorities.
The union also intends to take documented cases of alleged sexual abuse to international platforms in a bid to secure accountability. – (Pindula)
