'Govt shuts down Bikita Minerals over abuses', 17 May 2023

Bikita Minerals on May 15 stopped operations following a government directive that the company close over a litany of offences including labour malpractices, employment of illegal Chinese immigrants and poor administrative procedures leading to smuggling.

The temporary closure comes hard on the heels of an investigative story that exposed labour and human rights abuses at the company.

In a letter to Bikita Minerals managing director Wang Zhenhua, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Gerald Gwinji stated that operations must remain shut untill all issues are addressed...

“The areas of concern are as follows: migration/immigration status of foreign employees, labour administration, mines and mining administration and safety issues, social security contribution and medical surveillance for pneumoconiosis...

Sources said Bikita Minerals employed over 100 Chinese illegal immigrants, who often run and hide in the bush when inspections by the Department of Immigration are done.

In a press statement released later in the day, mine manager David Mwanza said operations would resume after seven days.