In the piece, Charles highlights that downstream industries account for the overwhelming majority of direct employment in the sector, but that primary steelmaking is the platform that enables fabrication, construction, engineering, automotive production and infrastructure development.
Treating the two as competing interests overlooks how interdependent the value chain is. He calls for a broader policy response that looks at the full value chain, including trade defence, customs enforcement, import monitoring, rebate access, and reliable domestic supply, and makes an important point that South Africa cannot afford to ignore: “The policy question is how these activities can reinforce one another – not which part of the value chain should survive at the expense of the other.” Read the full opinion piece on Engineering News here: https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/opinion-south-africas-steel-debate-must-focus-on-the-jobs-and-productive-capacity-enabled-across-the-value-chain-2026-10-28