By Chipo Gudhe

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has called for the transformation of Redcliff into a thriving iron and steel hub, emphasizing its strategic importance to the country’s economic growth.

He made these remarks recently at the Iron and Steel Indaba held at King Solomons Hotel in Kwekwe.

“We have an obligation to reform the Iron and Steel industry in the Redcliff area, which in itself is originally an iron and steel community,” said Chiwenga.

The Vice President highlighted the sector’s potential to drive significant economic gains, create employment, and reduce reliance on imports through enhanced downstream value chain development.

“This industry holds vast potential to drive economic growth, create employment, and contribute to downstream value chain development, as well as greatly reduce our reliance on imports,” he stated.

Chiwenga applauded recent developments in the sector, citing substantial investment by Dinson Iron and Steel Company, a subsidiary of the Chinese-based Tsingshan Group. He described this as a game-changer for the industry, setting the stage for Zimbabwe to become a regional and international supplier.

“Recent developments in this sector, engineered by our guest of honor, have witnessed massive investment by Dinson Iron and Steel Company, setting the stage for an Iron and Steel revolution in our country, with the potential to be a supplier of choice within South Africa and Europe,” he said.

The Vice President also linked the investments to improved business confidence under the government’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra.

“The huge capital inflow by the Tsingshan Group is a clear testament of the rising business confidence for investing in Zimbabwe,” he remarked, adding that such investments align with the nation’s broader vision of attaining an upper-middle-income society by 2030.

VP Chiwenga urged stakeholders to work together to position Redcliff as a key enabler for Zimbabwe’s industrial modernization and sustainable economic growth.