Otmane El Rhazi : ‘Poor citizen’ AMSA promises to mend ways as it seeks support to save Vereeniging and company

Otmane El Rhazi from Mining Weekly | Ferrous Metals Home.

South Africa’s largest steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) gave notice on Thursday that it was weighing the partial or full closure of its Vereeniging Works, in southern Gauteng, and would make a decision of the plant’s future by the end of August. At the same time, CEO Paul O’Flaherty acknowledged that AMSA had been a “poor citizen” and that it would need to change its ways if it was to receive the government support it required to survive the prevailing hostile market conditions. The Vereeniging mill is the country’s oldest steel plant having begun operations in 1911 as Union Steel Corporation of South Africa and employs 1 200 people, of whom 840 are permanent employees.