Wu Shengzai, 50, was killed when disgruntled workers smashed a trolley into him while he was running away from them underground   at Sinazongwe, 325 km south of Lusaka.

In covering the incident news agencies have tried to single out this mine as being particularly troubled in a country where locals are unusually hostile to Chinese for a variety of reasons.

 In other words, this is reported as an out of the ordinary experience, which it is, but not entirely.

There is  a prevailing view that China is Africa’s well-intentioned friend and that harmonious relations exist between African nations and the  Asian giant.

  Yet there is also a groundswell of  antagonism. In South Africa this is given voice in derogatory expressions such as “Fong Kong” to denote dissatisfaction with inferior products or service.

   In this country anti-Chinese sentiment forms part of  a general xenophobia. There is a broad swathe of people, including the dirt-poor underclass and envious small-time shopkeepers, who daily rail against   foreigners, including Chinese.

   President Jacob Zuma, wooed by the Chinese who are contributing hugely to the  R2-billion upgrade of his home town, Nkandla, now known as Zumaville, may be blind to this trend.

Flattered by South Africa’s inclusion with   Brazil, Russia, India and  China to form Brics,  he can choose to ignore negative signals.

But Chinese officials and investors have noted the Zambian riot with alarm. They know that whatever  smarmy politicians tell them,  exploitation of Africans is risky.