This Monday, the Minister of Skills Audit and Development Professor Paul Mavima, together with Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Rudo Chitiga, toured the impressive Dinson iron & steel company plant in Manhize, near Mvuma.
The US$1.5 billion facility is set to be a game-changer for Zimbabwe’s economy through:
Job Creation: The plant currently employs over 2,000 people, with projections to create up to 25,000 direct jobs and 150,000 indirect jobs, making it one of the largest industrial ventures in Zimbabwe.Skills Development for Locals: 95% of the workforce are Zimbabweans, and 90% are from the local area! DISCO is investing heavily in training (80% of employees are now semi-skilled in different forms of artisanship through attachment to Chinese specialists)Economic Revival: After ZISCO’s closure in 2008, Zimbabwe has been spending nearly US$1 billion annually importing steel. DISCO will reverse this trend!Production Capacity: Targeting 1.2 million tonnes annually, positioning Zimbabwe as a major steel manufacturing hub in AfricaThe steel industry is critical to Zimbabwe’s development – it supports construction, manufacturing, infrastructure development and creates vital linkages across multiple economic sectors.
This is the industrialisation AND skills transfer our nation needs!