Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter
THE Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Winston Chitando will be the guest speaker at the inaugural Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries (ZIF) Metal Casting Conference to be held in Bulawayo today.
He will share the stage with key local and foreign dignitaries and different industry executives over the need to unlock wider value addition and beneficiation opportunities for the sector.
Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) general manager, Tongai Muzenda and Buy Zimbabwe chairman, Munyaradzi Hwengwere are some of the panellists.
The conference seeks to unpack the sector’s direct and indirect contribution to the Zimbabwe economy and map the way forward towards developing and supporting the players in the industry, said ZIF in a statement.
South African companies have already confirmed attendance and were keen on striking synergies with local players while the Botswana Ministry of Mines and Chamber of Mines have expressed desire for close ties with local players and would seek to exhibit their opportunities, said the organisation.
“The delegation is keen to see mining products manufactured by Zimbabwean foundries and create business synergies,” said ZIF.
ZIF chief operations officer, Mr Dosman Mangisi said the steel sub-sector was critical in enhancing vibrant domestic manufacturing, import substitution and export.
He said the sector was among key targets for revitalisation under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) (2021:2025).
“NDS 1 aims to enhance mineral beneficiation and value addition through creation of value chains to anchor the national re-industrialisation drive.
“The objective of the indaba is to create the ease of doing business in the metal casting sector, promoting growth of metal exports and new technologies in the metal casting industries, among others,” he said.
Zimbabwe has 55 metal foundries including steel plants that are operational, with the other 30 being non-operational due to shortage of scrape metal and the unavailability of raw materials. — @SikhulekelanaiM1
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Bongani Ndlovu