South Africa’s metallurgical sector is urging a large-scale restart of idle ferroalloy furnaces as the country’s chronic power shortages continue to undermine industrial output. According to Menar Group managing director Vuslat Bayoglu, the country still has 57 ferrochrome furnaces lying dormant, many of which could return to operation if reliable electricity were secured.

Bayoglu emphasized that the shutdown of these units not only cut thousands of jobs but also weakened South Africa’s standing in the global ferrochrome market. “If we can bring even half of these furnaces back online, we can restore domestic production capacity and reclaim export share,” he said.

Meanwhile, ENS Africa chief operating officer Otsile Matlou urged the government to move away from ideological debates and adopt a pragmatic energy and industrial policy. “We must treat electricity as a production enabler, not a political tool. The priority should be restoring heavy-industry confidence,” he noted.

Industry experts point out that a large-scale furnace revival would significantly increase demand for refractory materials — particularly magnesia-chrome and high-alumina linings used in ferrochrome and ferromanganese smelters. This could stimulate associated industries such as refractory brick and monolithic production, mining of magnesite and chromite ores, and regional logistics.

While Eskom’s generation constraints remain a key barrier, the metallurgical community views the restart of South Africa’s ferroalloy capacity as essential to stabilizing employment, export earnings, and the broader industrial ecosystem that supports the nation’s mining economy.