Manufacturing complements Govt’s re-engagement efforts

Mukudzei Chingwere Midlands Correspondent
THE manufacturing industry is complementing Government’s re-engagement efforts, opening possible areas of cooperation with the international community in their respective sectors.

President Mnangagwa’s administration has been on a charm offensive with a consistent message that they are taking a new path of re-engaging especially with countries that were previously hostile to Zimbabwe.

Several investors around the globe are warming up to President Mnangagwa’s call, leading to a number of investment inquiries in locating areas of cooperation with Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe Institute of Foundry Men, a grouping of local steel manufacturing companies, has started the process of forging relations with British and South African counterparts.

The shortage of raw materials, mainly scrap metal, has curtailed the growth of this sector which has been hailed for mechanising small scale miners, leading to their deliveries surpassing large scale miners.

The association’s vice president Mr Itai Zaba confirmed the drive to engage their British as well as South African counterparts.

“We want to start working together with the South African and British Institute of Foundry Men and we are writing letters to them,” he said. “The idea is for us to exchange notes with others in our sector and see possible areas of cooperation.

“Their industries have evolved over time and I am sure we have a chance to improve our technological advancement if we work with the international community. There are several steel products that are being imported into the country but we are saying as industry how best we can reduce this negative import bill.

“The major problem troubling our sector is shortage of raw materials. Yes we want to advance our technological know-how but Government should help us by banning the export of scrap metal which is our major raw material.

“We cannot be so wasteful to allow the export of scrap at such low prices when we have the capacity to make it more valuable. The major problem is that we are not meeting the market demands leading to exports of what we can produce locally are as a result of shortage of scrap.”