The Iron and Steel industry in Zimbabwe and regional co-operation in the SADCC context

Abstract

This paper looks at the Zimbabwean iron and steel industry with the aim of answering the following questions: • Why the economy is highly dependent on impor ted steel when there is a large iron and steel plant; • Why the iron and steel industry in Zimbabwe is an export enclave industry; • Why there has been little or no progress in the development of a capital goods sector in Zimbabwe despite the existence of an iron and steel industry since 1948. The paper aims at coming up with policy prescriptions as to how the iron and steel industry can best be utilised to benefit the Zimbabwe an economy more. The paper is ma de up of a literature review of how the iron and steel industry can affect the economic growth of other sectors, a historical review of the development of the Zimbabwean iron and steel industry, a look at the current availability of the raw materials used in the product ion of iron and steel products, a brief discussion on production, shipment and trade in iron and steel, and the role played by Government, and finally a summary and conclusion.