Association targets expansion through master plan

Despite being faced with many challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, nonprofit trade association the Steel, Tube and Pipe Association of South Africa (Steasa), through its partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), aims to reenergise and expand through the Master Plan for Steel and Metal Fabrication, says Steasa CEO Keitumetse Moumakoe.

The plan aims to tap into the potential of the steel industry, which plays an important role in the investment and growth of South Africa.

Signed at the Hall Longmore facility, in Germiston, on June 11, the Master Plan for Steel and Metal Fabrication sets out practical steps to be implemented.

In a meeting on July 15, 2021, the South African Institute of Steel Construction (Saisc), along with its subassociations, including Steasa, met with the DTIC to discuss Saisc’s involvement.

“During the meeting, we discussed the different modalities of how the plan was going to be implemented and how the subassociations could play a role,” says Moumakoe.

The plan includes six areas of priority which fall into different work streams – demand-side measures; supply-side measures; the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement; transformation, human resources and a shared vision; resource mobilisation and the Steel Fund.

Steasa showed interest in assisting with the demand-side measures and the AfCFTA agreement.

“These work steams, we believe, align with our objectives and goals to reindustrialise the steel industry through resource mobilisation and the competitive supply chain of the steel industry,” adds Moumakoe.

He concludes that Steasa encourages more companies to come into the fold to build cooperation in the industry to ensure that all company interests are met through a well-coordinated and supportive industry that has the same goal of building the industry.