By Desire Tshuma
Manhize — Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Jenfan Muswere, on Friday led a delegation of journalists on a tour of the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) to showcase the plant’s operations and its growing role in Zimbabwe’s2 industrial development.
Located in Manhize, the integrated steelworks is already producing 600,000 metric tonnes of carbon steel annually, primarily in the form of steel billets and deformed bars. The plant currently employs over 2,000 local workers, significantly contributing to job creation and skills development in the region.
“Our mandate is to inform and educate the nation about ongoing developments and to implement a monitoring and evaluation mechanism in line with what His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, commissioned in 2022 under the ‘Zimbabwe Is Open for Business’ mantra,” said Minister Muswere during the tour.
The minister highlighted that Dinson Iron and Steel Company is among the few firms in Zimbabwe with a fully integrated steel production system, including mining operations, a blast furnace, and an on-site 50-megawatt power generation unit. This integrated approach has significantly reduced the country’s steel import bill, which previously exceeded US$1 billion annually.
“We are now cutting down on our import bill thanks to DISCO’s capacity to produce high-grade steel domestically,” Muswere added.
Mr. Wilfred Motsi, Projects Director at Dinson, noted that the company exports its products to regional and international markets, including South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, and Mozambique. He also confirmed that DISCO has been granted Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status, which is expected to further boost investment, industrialization, and job creation.
The economic ripple effects of the project are already being felt in nearby Chivhu, where rapid transformation is underway. The town is seeing the development of new retail complexes, housing schemes, medical centers, and service stations.
At present, DISCO employs 2,000 skilled and unskilled workers, with locals being prioritized. At full operational capacity, the project is expected to create up to 25,000 direct jobs and 150,000 indirect jobs, marking it as one of the largest industrial ventures in the country
