“SINTIME believes that Mozal is crucial to Mozambique’s economic development, as one of the country’s largest industries and a pillar of exports, accounting for around 30% of total exports. It is also a major employer, with approximately 1,100 direct jobs and around 4,000 indirect jobs,” the union’s secretary-general, Américo Macamo, said today at a press conference in Maputo. According to the SINTIME leader, whose union represents around 22,600 professionals, Mozal is a “vital lever” for the country’s economy and industry, at a time when one of the central pillars of the government’s five-year programme is the pursuit of economic independence.
Mozal purchases almost half of the electricity produced in Mozambique and is estimated to contribute at least 3% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On 16 December, the management of Australian mining company South32, one of Mozal’s shareholders, announced the suspension of operations from 15 March 2026, citing the lack of a new electricity supply agreement. “The union understands that economic independence is a cross-cutting and continuous objective.
It results from transforming the country’s economic and social structure through domestic production, job creation and poverty reduction. That is why it expresses its deep concern regarding the closure of Mozal,” Macamo said, reiterating that it is “unacceptable” that, during negotiations, the parties have failed to consider joint solutions to mitigate the impact of the suspension scheduled for March this year. The union also warned of “serious” social and economic consequences arising from the closure of the plant, including the loss of more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.
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It argued that “avoiding the closure at all costs” should be a shared objective, “given that such a scenario would entail severe economic and social consequences, including the bankruptcy of several companies”. For Américo Macamo, negotiating a new energy agreement is also crucial to ensuring continuity of operations and supporting the diversification of Mozambique’s economy. READ:‘We cannot allow yet another industry to close’ National Transmission Company South Africa provides update on Mozal, Mozambique, aluminium smelter new electricity supply agreement negotiations – Unabridged COSATU raises alarm over potential closure of Mozal, threatens 27,200 jobs in South Africa and Mozambique On 18 December, the CTA also called for the suspension of Mozal to be avoided “at all costs”, warning of unemployment and the collapse of small businesses. “Avoiding the closure of the factory at all costs must be a common objective, given that such a scenario would bring severe economic and social consequences, including the bankruptcy of several small national companies and the mass dismissal of workers,” said Álvaro Massingue, president of the CTA, the country’s largest business organisation, at the time.
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