The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT has challenged women and youths to participate in the metals sector, with resuscitation of the industry critical to the aspirations of Vision 2030.
Speaking at the second edition of the Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries (ZIF) Metal Casting Indaba in Bulawayo on Thursday, Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube said decried the fact that a few women are participating in this industry.
“I urge women and youths to participate in this sector. There are youths, I am told who are into scrap metal collection and also a few individual women who are participating in this industry. Through these initiatives, I can say Zimbabwe will soon claim its economic glory.
“Let us use this opportunity to network as we endeavour to grow the sector of metals through value addition and beneficiation,” said Minister Ncube.
She said Bulawayo was once the hub of metals value addition and beneficiation, when iron and steel products were being manufactured in the city.
Minister Ncube said currently there were about 15 operational foundries in Bulawayo and 60 operational foundries and steel plants nationwide.
“As Government the resuscitation of metal industry is key as we journey towards Vision 2030. It is envisaged that the country will witness employment creation, more exports and GDP growth through growth of metal industry. All this will strengthen our local currency the Zimbabwean dollar,” she added.
She said the Indaba aimed to unlock, create business opportunities and synergies for the metal casting sector towards achieving value addition and beneficiation of metals, ready for the markets in line with the country’s vision
as enshrined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
The Minister said value addition and beneficiation of scrap metal was key to making sure that strategic raw materials are secured and available for the growth of the industries.
“It is high time you all came together, collectively as the metals sector and exhibit how you can contribute towards our economic turnaround.”
ZIF chief operating officer (COO) Mr Dosman Mangisi said this year’s indaba aims to reshape metal beneficiation from raw material to final products and re-candle activities in established organisations like National Railways of Zimbabwe.
He said the event will be focusing on industry retooling and use of new technology in metal casting and value addition.
“This second edition promotes foundry technology and iron and steel making, which is new in the country’s academia. his compliments what is in the NDS1 and Vision 2030 as we still need a lot of metals in the country. So, there is a need for more technology and coming up with strategic scrap metal management statutes and policies.”
The two-day event is being held under the theme: “Enhancing Quality Castings of Metals through Efficient Technologies.”
In attendance are local metal casting industry players and counterparts from Southern African Development Community (Sadc) metal players from Botswana, South Africa and Zambia, as well as India.
Last year ZIF held its inaugural metal casting indaba where the players deliberated on the shortage of inputs and called upon the Government to ban the export of scrap metal as the major input of the foundry industry.
