S. Africa’s lifting of import duty splits steelmakers
South African steel producer Highveld Steel and Vanadium, unlike Ispat Iscor, remained indifferent to the government's decision to lift duties on steel imports from
Russia and
Ukraine.
Highveld asserted that the expiry of the duties will not cause any injury to the domestic market since the steel products imported from
Russia and
Ukraine were poor in quality.
On the other hand, Ispat Iscor implored the government to continue with the duties. Ispat Iscor claims that the expiry of the duties will allow
Russia and
Ukraine to resume dumping activities in the South African market.
The government had implemented hefty duties on hot rolled flat steel products imported from Russian producer
Severstal and Ukrainian producer Illych in November 1999.