Workers at Nsimbi Mining Services, a company subcontracted by India's Vulcan, have been holding company managers hostage for more than 48 hours, demanding payment of three months' salary arrears.

On strike since Monday, the 200 or so workers have prevented some of the managers, who are Zimbabwean nationals, from traveling outside the country. The group claimed that their superiors, like others, wanted to run away, abandoning their responsibilities to their class.

The workers are threatening to remain on the premises where the company's offices are located until their salaries are paid.

For three days now, the managers have been prevented from leaving their offices, and they accuse the group of keeping them in private custody.

One manager, whose state of health inspires care, said that on Wednesday they were only given a "matabicho" breakfast.

"We didn't have lunch or dinner," she lamented, quoted by the STV. "I'm hypertensive, but I can't even go out to compare medicines."

During this period of deprivation of liberty, the managers are unable to perform personal hygiene, such as bathing, washing their mouths and changing their clothes.

The company has broken its promise to pay wages for February, March and April. A request to extend the deadline has led to discontent among the workers, who are now rioting at the company's offices. They say they will only leave with their salaries.

"We'll be here until our problems are resolved. We're going to stay here because there's no point in going back to our homes," said one of the workers.

Another worker said that they had obtained reliable information that one of the managers was actually going to flee. "In fact, the national authority certified that he was leaving."

The Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) and the General Inspectorate of Labor are attending the dispute. The provincial commander of the PRM has already been on the scene. The attempt at successful mediation failed.