Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba
ZIMBABWE’s Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco) is now supplying locally-produced steel for the construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani.
The development marks a significant step in the nation’s efforts to use domestic resources for major infrastructure projects.
In an interview yesterday, Disco public relations manager Mr Joseph Shoko said promising times lie ahead for both the company and the country in terms of affordable steel.
“Disco is selling quality steel to a contractor assigned by the Government to construct Lake Gwayi-Shangani, and we are proud to confirm that we now have more than enough steel for the purpose,” he said.
Following a substantial US$1,5 billion investment, Disco’s Manhize Steel Plant in Mvuma began delivering steel to the dam site last month.
With contractors working around the clock following the release of funds by the Government, the project has entered an intensive phase, with Disco’s steel now a key component in the dam’s construction.
Treasury has already released US$5 million towards the dam’s construction and has committed to disbursing the same amount monthly until the project is completed.
Once completed, Lake Gwayi-Shangani, located in Hwange District, will become Zimbabwe’s third-largest inland water body, after Tugwi-Mukosi and Lake Mutirikwi, both situated in Masvingo.
The project, which had previously faced delays due to financial constraints, is set to deliver a reliable water supply to Bulawayo.
In addition, it will support irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, significantly boosting regional development.
The Disco plant has made notable progress in production and beneficiation, employing over 2 000 people and now producing steel in various forms, including iron bars and deformed bars.
The plant also has the capacity to produce 1,8m diameter pipes, which may be required for transporting water from the lake to Bulawayo.
Notably, some of its output is being exported, generating much-needed foreign currency.
Disco is currently producing around 300 tonnes of steel per day, with an annual target of 600 000 tonnes. The Manhize Steel Plant is one of Tsingshan Group of China’s mining projects in Zimbabwe.
The investor is among the largest in the country, with other ventures including Afrochine Smelting (Pvt) Ltd in Selous, Mashonaland West, which focuses on chrome smelting, and Dinson Colliery (Pvt) Ltd in Hwange, Matabeleland North, which is involved in coke production.
All these projects are interlinked, as both ferrochrome and coke are essential in steel production.
