Infrastructure and import substitution at heart of new master plan’s vision for steel revival

A new master plan aimed at stabilising South Africa’s steel industry and creating a platform for the revival of the country’s embattled downstream steel fabricators was signed by representatives from business, labour and government on Friday. The ceremony, which took place amid the constant hum of heavy machinery at Hall Longmore’s factory in Wadeville, in Gauteng, was address by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel, who said a new partnership was required if South Africa was to rebuild a “strong, competitive and job-rich steel industry”.