Mozambique: 200 Dingsheng workers at risk of losing their jobs – Chongoene administrator

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Mozambique: 200 Dingsheng workers at risk of losing their jobs – Chongoene administrator

3:07 CAT | 13 Feb 2025

Photo: O País

Around 200 workers from the Dingsheng company are at risk of losing their jobs, following popular protests that culminated in the suspension of construction work on the Chongoene Port Terminal in Gaza.

A month ago, on January 10, members of the Nhampfunwine community invaded the Dingsheng facilities and completely halted construction work on the Chongoene Port Terminal, alleging that the company managing the project had failed to meet a bilateral agreement to provide water, electricity and a health centre to the community as from 2023.

The popular protests culminated in halting work on the port and the expulsion of the managers of the Chinese-funded project.

READ: Mozambique: Construction work on Chongoene port terminal forced to stop – Watch

Chongoene district administrator Artur Macamo warned that, if the situation continued, around 200 workers could lose their jobs.

“The construction work on the port terminal has been completely halted for a month and around 200 young people are at home. Last month, 100% of the salary was paid and this month the company is negotiating to pay 50%,” Macamo said.

To address the unrest in four communities in Chongoene district affected by the port project, local government recently met the public and a new agreement was reached.

“We agreed that the electrification work in the area would be completed to at least 50 percent. We guarantee that the work is already underway in three neighbourhoods, and we will probably start work in the fourth neighbourhood today (Wednesday),” Macamo added.

Regarding the health centre and water supply, “works will start in March”.

Although road circulation to Chongoene has now resumed, there is still no date seet for the resumption of the Chongoene port works.

“It is difficult to give a date, because the resumption depends on the population’s permission to fulfil the promises made to provide basic social services. The work will certainly not be completed this year, but work [on the port] is already more than 90 % complete,” concluded the administrator.

With no date for the resumption of the Chongoene port construction works, more than 270,000 tons of minerals from the Chibuto Heavy Sands mining project will continue to be stranded.

READ: Mozambique: Export of Chibuto heavy sands via Chongoene port to begin soon

Source: O País