Chinese killed in Zambian protest
Zambian miners have killed a Chinese manager by pushing a mine trolley at him during a riot at a coal mine in the south of the country.
A second Chinese was injured, as were several Zambians, during the riot on Saturday.
The workers were on strike at the mine in protest against delays in implementing a new minimum wage.
They were angry their wages were lower than a new minimum of $220 (K55 000) a month paid to shop workers.
Zambia’s minister of labour has gone to the Chinese-owned Collum coal mine in Sinazongwe, 325km south of the capital, Lusaka.
“Wu Shengzai, aged 50, has been killed by protesting workers after being hit by a trolley which was pushed towards him by the rioting miners as he ran away into the underground where he wanted to seek refugee,” Southern province police commissioner Fred Mutondo told state news agency, the Zambia News and Information Services.
“He died on the spot while his colleague is in hospital.”
Last year, the Zambian government dropped charges against two Chinese managers accused of attempted murder after they fired on miners at the Collum mine during a pay dispute.—BBC
