ZANU PF is spearheading efforts to establish a coal and steel union among former liberation movements in the Sadc region as part of a broader push to strengthen economic integration in the region.
Secretary-generals from the region’s former liberation parties are expected to convene this week in South Africa for the summit, where the proposed industrial partnership will be discussed as a pathway to deepen economic collaboration rooted in shared historical and ideological ties.
According to Zanu PF spokesperson and official summit mouthpiece Christopher Mutsvangwa, the proposed union will be a key item on the agenda at this year’s annual summit of Sadc liberation movements.
In an interview with NewsDay, Mutsvangwa said the former liberation movements' spokespersons had a meeting ahead of the summit slated for July 25 to 26 in Sandton, South Africa.
“I have initiated the idea of former liberation movements — sponsored Sadc coal and steel union, with South Africa and Zimbabwe being the major producers of iron ore, chrome and manganese, Mozambique producing hydro energy and natural gas and Tanzania, nickel and hydro power.
“The Sadc steel union has the comparative advantage to produce both gas and stainless steel cheaper than any global competition,” he said.
Mutsvangwa said the liberation movements in Sadc fought to unite and strengthen the bloc's economic ties and claim global space in industry.
“If we collaborate among ourselves, we will set the price of steel globally because we put all the raw materials within the geographical parameters,” Mutsvangwa said.
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“The competition will be China, they import from Brazil, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa and these are thousands of kilometres by sea.
“The logistical chain is long and we have the advantage of having all those in proximity. If we co-operate among us, we will set the price of steel globally, and we can solve the issue of cheap energy which is cleaner than coal.
“We can supply our steel industry with cheap power, cheaper than China. With steel from Manhize, we can build transmission lines from Cabo Delgado to Zimbabwe and South Africa. We could supply our industry with power cheaper than China.”
Mutsvangwa said this would lead to Zimbabwe steel being the cheapest in the world.
“Because chrome, nickel and iron ore are all within the same region. So God naturally made us champions of steel.
“We can set the global price of steel. We can set the price for the global market. And this is at a time when in Europe, their iron ore resources are depleted. Their coal resources are depleted,” he said.
