The Steel and Engineering Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) will hold a Mainstreaming the Steel Master Plan Conference, at Emperors Palace, in Kempton Park, on May 19 and 20.

“Steel forms the foundation of any modern economy and is essential to every single industry sector. Our steel sector urgently needs policies to instil confidence in its viability to attract both local and international direct investment," says Seifsa CEO Lucio Trentini.

The Steel Master Plan (SMP) – which was launched almost a year ago on June 11, 2021 – provides a roadmap for the industry to follow to re-energise itself and expand production in the sector.

The SMP contains the "practical steps that need to be implemented progressively by all stakeholders across the steel and fabrication value chain. Without greater focus and prioritisation, the SMP will remain captive to high levels of ambition with limited real-world effectiveness," warns Seifsa COO Tafadzwa Chibanguza.

Trentini points to the issues – both immediate and longer term – that the plan outlines, which will be discussed at the conference.

"There are burning issues that threaten the immediate viability of the sector versus the longer-term growth initiatives for the sector. A prerequisite to growing the sector is saving the existing capacity from further contraction.

“The long-term growth drivers of the sector are vested in the country’s infrastructure drive, development of industry value chains and the greening of the industry to make it resilient in the climate change debate," he says.

These concerns, including the supply of scrap metal, the development of an industry support fund and considerations of input costs, are some of the topics that will be addressed at the conference.

Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) officials, representatives from the Steel Oversight Committee, and business and labour leaders will provide insight and analysis of the progress of the SMP, along with commitments that will lay the foundation for the development and growth of the metals and engineering sector.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel will deliver the keynote address, after an opening address by Seifsa president Elias Monage.

The Conference will be organised and hosted by Seifsa in partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation and the DTIC.