Meaning
A fence made of sheets of corrugated galvanised metal ('zinc') — the ubiquitous rusting barrier around yards and lots in poorer Jamaican communities. A powerful image of ghetto life, immortalised in reggae ('Concrete Jungle' and beyond), and often plastered with posters and graffiti.
Examples
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Dem paint mural pon di ole zinc fence.
They painted a mural on the old zinc fence.
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Di zinc fence rust up an lean ova.
The zinc fence has rusted and is leaning over.
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Poster plaster all ova di zinc fence.
Posters are plastered all over the zinc fence.
Origin
'Zinc' is the Jamaican word for corrugated galvanised (zinc-coated) metal sheeting, used for roofs and fences; a defining material of poor communities.
How it’s used
Iconic of ghetto/yard life; 'zinc' alone often means the roofing/fencing sheets.