Cement sector propels Government infrastructure projects
THE cement sector made pivotal contributions towards the Government’s transformative infrastructural drive and retooling, one of the aspects of industrialisation that is in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), a senior Government official has said.
The cement sector has been described as one of the most vibrant sectors during 2023, notably because of the commendable results recorded.
Ministry of Industry and Commerce Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Utete Ushe told Business Chronicle that the sector made a giant leap in its quest to modernise, industrialise, accelerate job creation, and anchor several transformative projects that were completed and commissioned.
The projects range from road, dam construction and retooling.
Dr Thomas Utete Ushe
Local major producers PPC Zimbabwe, Khayah Cement and Sino Zimbabwe Cement, with a combined capacity of about 2,6 million tonnes (MT)annually have been singled out as key contributors to the success of government projects.
According to data supplied by Dr Ushe, PPC Zimbabwe produced 107 000MT of cement in November and 102 000MT in December last year.
In the same period, Sino Zimbabwe which resumed its production in November and produces 1 200MT of cement per day has cement stocks amounting to 9 076 MT and produced 27 647MT of cement in December and 1 632MT in January this year.
Dr Ushe noted that the sector made a giant leap in its quest to modernise, industrialise, job creation, and several transformative projects that were completed and commissioned in line with the National Vision of attaining an upper-middle economy by 2030.
In written responses to Business Chronicle, Dr Ushe said the relentless production efforts by local cement manufacturers played a significant role.
“As the Government of Zimbabwe pursues Vision 2030, the country witnessed infrastructural developments such as highways through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme. The Government budgeted $33,6 billion for the second phase. For these projects to be a success, the local cement manufacturers were robust in terms of manufacturing as demand for cement was rising.
“This vibrant sector paved the way for road projects to record such a huge milestone,” said Dr Ushe.
The Bulawayo-Nkayi Road is one project that profited from the local cement industry.
“This is a major road that connects Bulawayo to Nkayi, a town in western Zimbabwe. The project involves the rehabilitation of the existing road and the construction of new sections. The project is also expected to be completed in 2024,” he noted.
File picture: Lake Gwayi-Shangani construction
Another road project is the Harare-Beitbridge Highway.
Dr Ushe said this is a major highway that connects Harare to Beitbridge, a town on the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa. The project involves the rehabilitation of the existing road and the construction of new sections.
He further said the Harare-Mutare Road, a major road that connects Harare to Mutare also benefited.
The project involves the rehabilitation of the existing road and the construction of new sections and is set to be completed this year.
Harare-Chirundu Road is another road project that benefited.
“This is a major road that connects Harare to Chirundu, a town on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The project involves the rehabilitation of the existing road and the construction of new sections with completion expected in 2024.
He also added that in line with NDS1, the construction of dams nationwide witnessed a surge in the demand for cement, which local manufacturers were hands-on in terms of supply.
Dr Ushe cited Lake Gwayi-Shangani and Tuli Manyange Dam in Matabeleland South as major beneficiaries.
Another significant impact by the cement sector is on retooling, one of the aspects of industrialisation that is in line with NDS1.
“One of the companies, Khayah Cement Zimbabwe has played a huge role in the Government’s ongoing infrastructure development projects by supplying raw materials. The company officially opened a new mill plant under Phase 2 of Khayah’s expansion project. The consortium injected an estimate of US$14 million to operationalise the plant.
“This notable commitment was aimed at ensuring sustainable exploitation, beneficiation, and value addition of the limestone rock is in sync with my Government’s exhortations. This is augmented by the adoption of new technologies for increasing production efficiencies, with the potential to raise the company’s cement production capacity from 350 000 to one million tons per annum, against an average national demand of 1,4 million tons.
“This increased production capacity allows them to cater to a larger portion of the market and reduce reliance on imports” said the permanent secretary.
Localisation efforts by local cement manufacturers have been gaining momentum, he noted, adding that the manufacturers are focused on increasing their production capacity and reducing dependence on imported cement.
One of the main areas of focus of local cement manufacturers is ensuring high-quality cement that meets international standards.
“They have been implementing rigorous quality control measures throughout the production process to ensure that their products are of the highest quality and can compete well in the local and regional markets. Cement manufacturers are working closely with local suppliers to source raw materials sustainably within Zimbabwe. This approach helps reduce costs, increase reliability and contribute to the local economy. Efforts are also made to explore new sources of raw materials within the country to further enhance localisation efforts.” – chronicle
