Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Oliver Kazunga

Senior Business Reporter

DINSON Iron and Steel Company (Disco) says construction of its US$1,5 billion steel plant in Manhize near Mvuma is 78 percent complete with the project on track to meet the December 2023 commissioning target.

The development of the steelworks believed to be Africa’s largest integrated steel plant, began in 2022 with an initial production deadline of August this year, but this has since been moved to December following delays that resulted from incessant rains the country experienced early this year.

Disco is one of the three local subsidiaries of China’s largest stainless steel producer, Tsingshan Holdings Group Limited.

It also owns Dinson Colliery in Hwange in Matabeleland North Province and a ferrochrome plant, Afrochine Smelting Limited in Selous.

In an interview on Monday, Disco project director Mr Wilfred Motsi said overall the steelworks project was now 78 percent complete while the construction of the electricity transmission line from Sherwood to Manhize was also progressing well.

The company has also announced the intention to develop three greenfield power projects with a combined output of 300MW.

The three power projects are solar, wind and heat from the steel plant’s operations which will be converted into electricity.

The plant will need about 500MW under the first phase of the steel production.

“In terms of construction of the steel plant the project is now 78 percent complete and our wish is to meet the December commissioning deadline which at the moment we are on track to achieve.

“We have also cleared the 100-kilometre stretch from Sherwood in Kwekwe to the steel plant for the power transmission line and also the foundations for the pylons of that transmission line all have been completed while at the site construction of the support infrastructure is under construction.“We are also in the process of constructing a power workshop that we hope will be complete by the time the first blast furnace is switched on in December. Heat produced from the power workshop will be converted into electricity,” he said.

Zimbabwe is poised to become Africa’s largest steel producer and seventh in the world when the Manhize steel plant becomes operational.

The project will be commissioned in phases starting with an annual production of 600 000 tonnes, which will be gradually ramped up to 1,2 million in the second phase and 2,4 million in the next phase before reaching five million in the final phase.

When Zisco was operating at its peak in the late 1990s producing about 1,2 million tonnes of steel annually, Zimbabwe was Africa’s biggest iron and steel producer.

However, Zisco seized operations in 2008. Mr Motsi dismissed reports that the company was importing raw materials such as cement and bricks for the Manhize steel plant.

“It is not true that we are importing cement.

“We are sourcing it from local cement producers. “However, what we are importing from China and Hong Kong are those refractory bricks used when building blast furnaces,” he said. According to ZimTrade, potential export steel markets for Zimbabwe include Zambia, Botswana, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and Namibia.

According to Trade Map, Zambia imported iron and steel worth around US$226 million in 2020, with the majority coming from South Africa (US$113 million), China (US$64 million), Chile (US$27 million), and India (US$3 million). In terms of quantities, Zambia has been importing more iron and steel over the years, from around 58 000 tonnes in 2018 to around 81 000 in 2021.

“Leveraging on Zimbabwe’s short distance to Zambia, there is potential for Manhize Iron Steel Plant to produce products that will compete well in the neighboring country,” said Zimtrade.

In Malawi, most of the iron and steel imports, worth around US$83 million in 2021 came from China. The other major suppliers are South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique. In terms of quantities, Malawi imported 39 000 tonnes of iron and steel in 2021.

During the same year, Mozambique also imported around 111 000 tonnes, valued at US$99 million. Major suppliers were South Africa, China, Japan, Turkey, and Portugal. Namibia in 2021 imported 26 000 tonnes of iron and steel worth around US$95 million, with major suppliers being South Africa, China, and Zambia.

For DRC, the import value of  46 000 tonnes of iron and steel was about US$126 million in 2021, with major suppliers being South Africa, China, Zambia, and Turkey.

“Considering the proximity of these markets, and their current source markets, that are as far as Asia and Europe, there is no doubt that locally produced iron and steel will compete well in the region,” said Zimtrade.

Sikhulekelani Moyo, mskhulekelani16@gmail.com

THE recently elected Bulawayo City Council Mayor Senator David Coltart said he does not need a new Mayoral car as the resources for the new cars can be used to improve service delivery in the city.

Sen Coltart said this during the ongoing civic society organisation and councillors engagement meeting at a local hotel today.

In his presentation, he said city fathers and mothers have a lot to do in terms of service delivery and he said there is no need for the council to wait for funds from the central Government, rather they can use whatever they raise as council to create the Bulawayo everyone wants.

“I came here using a car which has been used by the council for the past nine years, that car is enough for the whole of my term, I’m not going to get a new car for the next five years, unless we have enough ambulances,” he said.

“How can we have new cars whilst we have only five ambulances instead of 30, we only have four fire engines and six refuse trucks and we need the minimum of 11. So, it starts with me and it needs to reflect in you.”

He said councillors are elected to serve not to be served by the people so they should not expect to benefit from their position rather they should bring sanity to the city through improved service delivery.

“We need to work for the interest of the people and our city. If we rely on Central Government we will not achieve much, but we have an obligation to the residents to get things done and we can do this through self reliance,” he said.

Fidelis Munyoro

Chief Court Reporter

TWO Zanu-PF losing parliamentary candidates have approached the Electoral Court seeking to challenge the victory of their opponents in last month’s polls.

The ruling party won 136 of the 210 constituencies against CCC’s 73.

However, Cde Francis Mukwangwari who lost Zvimba East by 189 votes to Mr Oliver Mutasa of CCC and Cde Munyaradzi Tobias Kashambe who lost Seke by 755 votes to Mr William Madzimbamuto of CCC filed electoral petitions at the Electoral Court last week seeking to set aside the election of the two CCC legislators, citing irregularities.

Mr Mutasa and Mr Madzimbamuto are listed as respondents in the two separate petitions.

In his petition, Cde Mukwangwariwa based his contention on electoral irregularities that allegedly occurred on voting day at Stapleford Siding station when Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officials were giving voters supporting Mr Mutasa more ballot papers than what was required.

He alleged that these voters were given five ballot papers instead of three ballot papers with the extra two ballot papers being for the National Assembly election.

He said although he alerted the police officers at the polling station, nothing was done to remedy the irregularity. He also alleged that the declaration of poll results made by ZEC also does not show any rejected votes or percentages in the constituency.

“This is an irregularity in view of the fact that my polling agent had noticed people voting with extra ballot papers,” he argued.

“The declaration of the poll results by Zec was done whereas my polling agent did not sign the V23B form for the particular polling station. The reason why my polling agent refused to sign the V23B form was that it was not in tandem with what had been observed at the polling station.”

Cde Kashambe in his petition is seeking a recount of votes argued that there were mathematical errors in compiling the total number of votes received thereby inflating the number of votes received for Mr Madzimbamuto.

He also accused ZEC of underhand dealings, saying there were elderly voters who were turned away for failure to locate their names despite the fact that no assistance was given to them.

“During counting, polling agents representing the applicant’s political party at some points were chased away from the polling room, while respondent’s agents remained.”

Both Mr Mutasa and Mr Madzimbamuto are yet to respond to the petitions filed against them.