Watch What You Say About Chinese Companies, Mthuli Warns Local Businesspeople

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has urged Zimbabwean businesspeople to avoid making comments about Chinese-owned businesses that could be seen as xenophobic.

He made the remarks on Monday at a 2026 post-Budget breakfast meeting in Bulawayo, responding to concerns raised by Grain Millers Association Matabeleland chapter vice-chairman Nthokozisi Sibanda.

Sibanda had called on the government to protect local businesses from competition, particularly from companies run by Chinese nationals. Said Ncube:

“Coming to… the Chinese, I am always concerned when we single out a nationality.

“From now on, never refer to Chinese again. That is my strong advice to you. Why? Because that is how xenophobia starts.

“We Zimbabweans have been subject to xenophobia. These (the Chinese) are individuals that we have welcomed into our country. They are doing business.

“And by the way, they are going to areas where we, as Zimbabweans, are surprised by.

“They teach us a few tricks because they have a high appetite for business. Is that not the case?

“They are going to areas where Zimbabweans do not even know. So, I think we should be more accommodating of these foreign citizens.

“It is one thing to complain about a reserved sector. Say if they are in a reserved sector, clearly, they are not in the right sector.

“But they are free to operate, as long as they are here legally… So next time you meet them, be more respectful.”

Chinese nationals operating in Zimbabwe have frequently come under scrutiny for labour abuses, violent incidents, and environmental damage associated with mining activities.

Numerous reports allege that Chinese employers underpay local workers, deny them protective equipment, and expose them to unsafe working conditions, with some describing the workplaces as “slavery‑like.”

There have also been deadly clashes, including incidents where Chinese nationals allegedly shot or assaulted Zimbabwean workers. In 2025, for example, a Chinese supervisor in Mutoko fatally shot a local employee.

Workers who attempt to join unions or protest unsafe conditions often face intimidation and victimisation.

Local communities further accuse Chinese‑run mines of polluting rivers, destroying farmland, and extracting resources without proper consultation.