‘We want development but not from them’: rethinking Sino–Zimbabwean development relations

This article examines the complexities of public attitudes towards development associated with Chinese miners in Guruve. The article problematises development by highlighting the persistent scepticism expressed by recipients of development initiatives, stemming from the perception that these projects fail to transform their lives. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2021 and 2024, the article demonstrates that local communities desire development, but they understand it through moral and relational criteria centred on care, fairness and recognition. The study addresses two questions: whether people truly want development tied to the exploitation of their natural resources and where such development genuinely benefits the local community. The article argues that residents interpret environmental degradation, unsafe labour conditions, the refusal to help in emergencies and the absence of skills transfer as breaches of vital social obligations. These experiences lead many to conclude that the Chinese mining presence represents a reversal of development in the area. The article utilises the lived experiences and moral vocabulary through which development is assessed to demonstrate why the ‘win–win’ narrative associated with Chinese investment fails to resonate in areas around Tengenenge. This article contributes to the ongoing discourse on Sino–Zimbabwean relations, especially regarding resource exploitation, offering insight into the neocolonial dynamics at play in the South–South partnership.