Zimbabwe this week deported two Chinese nationals accused of hanging two mine employees on a front-end loader in a case that ignited debate about alleged abuses by investors from the Asian country.

A viral video of the two employees being tied to a bucket of the front-end loader before it was lifted with them hanging by their hands sparked outrage and spurred the authorities to take action. 

Police on Wednesday said they had identified the suspects and complainants at Makanga mine in Bindura, about 88 kilometres northeast of the capital Harare.

The brief police statement said, “investigations are in progress,” without naming the Chinese nationals, but a few hours later a government spokesperson announced on social media that they had been deported.

“The two foreign nationals involved in this abuse depicted on a video that went viral were deported (on Wednesday),” government spokesperson Nick Mangwana posted on X.

The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) described the attack as “appalling, vile, inhumane and savage” as it urged the authorities to launch an investigation into the mine’s operating environment.

“The Zimbabwe Miners Federation is incensed and appalled by the vile and savage attack on Zimbabwean mine workers by a Chinese boss at Makanga Mine in Bindura,” ZMF said in a statement.

“The shocking footage circulating shows the workers being subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment, tied up and hanged from a front-end loader bucket like animals.

“This barbaric act is a blatant violation of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which guarantees the right to personal security and freedom from torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. 

“We will not stand idly while our members are subjected to such egregious abuse.”

The mining industry lobby urged the authorities to investigate the matter and deal with rampant claims of abuse of local workers by Chinese bosses in the mining sector.

“ZMF vehemently condemns this despicable act and demands immediate arrest and prosecution of the Chinese bosses responsible, thorough investigation into the mine’s labour practices and swift action against any violations,” the statement said.

“We will not tolerate such blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law. ZMF stands in solidarity with the victims and will fight tirelessly to ensure that justice is served.”

 Last year, Zimbabwean labour unions wrote to the government demanding that it investigate Chinese employers, whom they said had become notorious for violations such as torture, beatings, gender-based violence, low wages and a host of other labour transgressions.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions – the largest labour centre in the country - accused government officials of shielding abusive Chinese employers because they were getting bribes.

Read: China writes off interest-free loans given to Zimbabwe

A recent report by the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela) titled The Handbook of Zimbabwe-China Economic Relations, claimed that there was widespread abuse of local workers in Chinese-owned mines.

“The research team learnt from the communities that Chinese mining companies rarely abide by the minimum wage as per the labour regulations and that there is overwork at the mines and no proper working timetable with workers working a 12-hour day,” said the Zela report.

“We learnt that workers were not being provided with safety clothing. 

“Community leaders, who approached some of the mining companies on this, indicated that they were told that their workers are temporary and on fixed term contract basis, thus they cannot be buying safety clothing every time a contract ends, and a new worker has come in.” 

The Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe said its members were being unfairly targeted because of transgressions of a few investors from the Asian country.

It also urged the government to apply the law without fear or favour when foreign investors violate local laws. 

Chinese companies have been investing heavily in Zimbabwe’s economic sectors since President Emmerson Mnangagwa came to power seven years ago and they now have a huge presence in the mining, construction, energy and agriculture sectors.

According to the Zimbabwe Development Agency, 60 percent of the new foreign investors recorded last year were from China, with 369 licences that had a projected value of $3.93 billion.

Chinese companies were awarded licences in the third quarter of 2023 to mine lithium and to invest in energy and other sectors.