According to EWN the South African Social and Economic Development Forum’s Sammy Claassen said the closure of steel giant ArcelorMittal will devastate scores of Saldanha workers who will be left without an income to feed their families.

Claassen said he would write a letter to the president, the CEO of ArcelorMittal and Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel, calling for an urgent meeting to discuss the company’s planned closure with the community. He believes the plant could keep its doors open with urgent government intervention.

ArcelorMittal last week announced plans to close its steel operations at Saldanha Works because it could no longer compete in export markets.