The joint venture between the Swiss multinational Glencore and the South African company Merafe Resources, Glencore-Merafe, has announced that it will suspend operations at the Boshoek Smelter and Wonderkop Smelter ferrochrome plants for maintenance and care from 1 January, with immediate effect.
According to News24, the termination notices and voluntary retrenchment plans were issued this Monday, 1 December.
Operations will be permanently halted if no viable solution is presented by the South African Government by 8 December — the deadline for approval of commitments. The company did not specify how many jobs will be affected, but indicated that it employs around three thousand people in the smelting division.
The closure of these smelters reflects a growing trend in South Africa’s ferrochrome industry, which is under severe pressure due to high energy costs and competition from cheap ferrochrome imports, particularly from China.
In recent years, the joint venture has already shut down ten of its 22 furnaces, resulting in significant job losses and reduced output.
The suspension affects not only direct workers but also has deep implications for local communities and the entire economic chain linked to the ferrochrome industry, from suppliers to auxiliary services.
