Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth confirmed her department’s dedication to finding ways to prevent job losses at ArcelorMittal, a leading steel producer in South Africa. She met with the management at the Vanderbijlpark Plant to discuss the potential closure of operations in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng, which could lead to the loss of 3,500 jobs and negatively impact families and local businesses.
After the meeting, Meth expressed hope for progress and recognized the challenges facing the company. She emphasized the department’s responsibility to engage with the company to try to prevent job losses, underlining the government’s focus on preserving employment. Meth described their meeting as productive and noted that while there is no definitive solution yet, they are actively involved in discussions and interventions with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) to coordinate efforts across various ministries.
Acknowledging the uncertainty of the situation, Meth stated the government’s commitment to finding solutions. She appreciated the willingness of the CEO and his team to work with the government to address the issue. The Minister also mentioned existing government support measures, including the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS), which aims to assist struggling businesses. Meth pointed out that discussions have begun about utilizing this program to support ArcelorMittal.
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