Local News

Chinese contractors accused of delaying payments

CHINESE contractors building Sumbawanga - Matai – Kasanga Port Road are embroiled in dispute with their labourers over delayed payments.

China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation which is camped at Matai town in Kalambo District, Rukwa region, however, deny the allegations that the payments have been delayed.

The Group‘s Business   Manager, Mr Joe Zhou, castigated labourers for engaging in strike without any reasonable cause. The company along has been contracted to upgrade the Sumbawanga - Matai – Kasanga Port road (112km) to  tarmac  level  at the cost of  over  133.28bn/-.

Mr Zhou   told  the ‘ Daily News”  that the  strike  was unnecessary  and illegal as  it was  carried  out  by   a few  workers  who  threatened  and  coerced their  colleagues   to  join the bandwagon.

Mr Zhou  urged the locals to work with the company, saying the road  project has created job opportunities for hundreds of people and boosted the economy of the area.

“We have been employing students on vacation  on  temporary  basis to help them earn an income , so many college students are employed here where they work for us,” he said.

“In  addition to that we have  assigned a special Chinese medical practitioner to treat our local workers when  they   get  injured  at  the   site,” he  added .

Last  week  workers  from China  Railway  15 Bureau Corporation  told the 'Daily News'  that  the Chinese were  underpaying  them.According  to  them, a local   mechanic  was being paid  10,000'-  a day , instead  of  the  agreed amount  of  12,000/-, while  casual  labourers  were   receiving  3,500/-  a  day  instead  of 5,000/-  that  was agreed .

“Our  bosses  have  refused  to  increase  payment   despite  consistent  demands   from  us,” said  one  of them  on  condition  of  anonymity.