BY Staff Reporter
Solidarity has welcomed the announcement that ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has deferred the planned closure of its long steel plants in Newcastle and Vereeniging to later this year.
The union said this was a positive step to avert the immediate threat of job losses for thousands of employees. A total of 3500 jobs are on the line, and according to experts, thousands more will be lost in the manufacturing value chain.
The decision to defer the closures from April to the end of August 2025 follows a government loan of around R1,7 billion.
“Of course, we are most grateful that such an intervention happened, even though it required tremendous pressure from trade unions in particular for these steps to materialise,” Solidarity deputy general secretary for the metal and engineering industry, Willie Venter, said on Tuesday.
“We are very grateful that our members and the employees affected by
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