Beneficiation is critical for the industrialisation of Africa

Africa remains well endowed with mineral resources. These resources are extracted and exported to overseas countries where they are beneficiated and create jobs, but Africa remains poor.
The Sub-Saharan region of the Industriall Global union convened a workshop on industrial development in Johannesburg recently. NUMSA joined 26 other affiliates from 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa for this important conference on industrialisation in Africa. The dominant view was that Africa remains well endowed with mineral resources yet remains poor. These resources are extracted and exported to overseas countries where they are beneficiated, leading to job creation.
Addressing the conference, COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi shared some of the lessons learnt by trade unions in South Africa. He called for a change to the growth model of reliance on the export of raw materials which supports continuing inequality and poverty, “the only way to drive economies is through industrialisation, particularly manufacturing, and creating decent jobs. Critically, Vavi told affiliates that South Africa cannot be successful if there is no industrialisation in the rest of the continent” he said.
NUMSA 2nd Deputy President Christine Olivier emphasized that a number of key industrial policies promoting the Sub-Saharan region must be put in place. These include beneficiation of mineral resources, trade policies that support industrialization and development, investment in infrastructure, education, training, and support for skills transfer.
Zambian unions that were present shared a good practice in their country which is gaining momentum. In Zambia, unions engage with government on industrial development to maximize the benefits of natural resources, for example transforming copper into copper wires instead of exporting copper and importing wires. South African unions have worked with government to produce an industrial policy action plan which identifies key sectors for job creation and puts in place job stimulation programmes.
A presentation by Trywell Kalusopa of the African Labour Research Network (ALRN) focused on the quest for industrialization in Africa and the evolution of industrial policy on the continent. His key message was that workers and people must be agents of change. The role of government should be increased with effective national development planning. Improved state institutional capacity is needed as well as capable leadership. He also referred to the shrinking of policy space through trade agreements.
On the other hand, in South Africa, 20 years after democracy, the economy still relies on the export of raw materials. This growth model must change as it supports inequality and poverty. It must be changed to add value and beneficiate. It lies at the heart of the failure of all liberation struggles on the continent as all countries inherited these economies based on extraction and exportation of minerals. How do we break this growth path? The South African experience may be useful for other countries to break away from this inherited growth path.
In order for Africa to industrialise, trade unions must build unity among themselves to speak with one voice and increase power to fight for space to engage governments on policy formulation. They must engage governments from an informed position, to identify solutions and come with proposals to present. Follow-up mechanisms must be included to ensure that the decisions taken are implemented. Lobbying progressive forces inside government can be useful.
Trade unions must develop joint policies towards regional governmental bodies such as SADC and the African Union, where unions currently do not have a voice. Industri-ALL can make submissions through regional trade union structures such as SATUCC (Southern African Trade Union Coordination Council). Only strong and representative unions have democratic practices to inspire confidence of members and influence decision-making.
To achieve this, unions must be active in encouraging workers to join a union. Unions also need to discuss the problems of conflict, instability and democracy in Africa and promote policies to avoid the privatization of strategic industries, to ensure that land reform responds to long-term development and to assure food security for everyone, while guaranteeing economic, social and economic rights through law.
Actions
Having committed to prioritizing industrial development, participants identified actions to take which include:
• Influencing their national centres to take up industrial policy
• Developing union capacity, including through sharing experiences between unions in the region
• Influencing governments through tripartite forums where they exist and demanding them where they don’t
• Building trade union strength and capacity to demand comprehensive and strategic industrial policies, including educating members and raising public awareness to campaign for policies that benefit working people
• Developing joint policies towards regional governmental bodies such as SADC and the African Union, where unions currently do not have a voice
• Developing joint policies for specific industries e.g. mining, second hand vehicles and clothing
• Mobilizing regionally on Africa Industrialization Day held in November each year.

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