Anjin rubbishes workers’ rights abuse claims

Source: Anjin rubbishes workers’ rights abuse claims | The Herald

Herald Reporter

Diamond miner Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd has rubbished claims of workers’ rights abuses saying that the company has developed an ascending human rights record over the years.

The unfounded claims were carried in an article that was published on 28 October 2022 by the Zimbabwe Independent Newspaper in an article headlined, ‘ZCTU accuses Chinese companies of rights abuses.

The article insinuated that the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union was concerned over alleged continued disregard of labour laws by Chinese-owned firms operating in the country.

In response, the diamond mining company said that in essence, the article exemplified Anjin Investments Private Limited as a company whose workers are being abused, which is far from being true.

“Contrary to this malicious and unfounded allegations, Anjin Investments Mining Company has developed an ascending human rights record over the years.

“With the foregoing, Anjin Investments (Private) Limited would want to categorically put it clear that Anjin Investments (Private) Limited is not a Chinese-run diamond mining company but rather a Joint Venture Company between a Chinese Company and a Government entity,” said Anjin Investments.

The company explained that its workers do not work for long hours.

“The company uses a 14/7 cycle system for mine workers. The 14/7 cycle system entails that there are three teams which alternate in a systematic way. More so, any extra time that a worker is made to be on duty accrues and attracts an overtime allowance.

“All our workers are ferried to and from work using a company bus and not a dump truck as purported by the sources to the newspaper article,” explained Anjin.

“Further, the company observes the Zimbabwe labour laws through the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) and other related Statutory Instruments inclusive of National Employment Council (NEC), collective bargaining agreements regarding the working conditions encompassing wages and salaries.

“To be specific on salaries, Anjin workers are remunerated in line with the set minimum wage NEC scales. It even gives its workers scales above the NEC scales,” read Anjin Investments’ statement.

The Company said that it has a 60% USD and 40% ZWL salary regime and in accordance with labour rights dictates.

“The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Mine Workers Union, which is a constitutional umbrella national workers’ board, represents Anjin workers in consultation with the Anjin Workers Committee regarding collective bargaining between the employer and mine workers.

“Anjin Investments Private Limited is a law-abiding diamond mining company which is guided by the rules and regulations governing the diamond mining sector. It is surprising however that the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union and ZIDAWU, all referred to as ‘interested parties’ in the articles, did not even bother to contact the company on the issues raised. Anjin believes in dialoguing and not unsubstantiated and fabricated truth,” noted Anjin’s statement.