ArcelorMittal South Africa Must Be Nationalized, Labor Body Says

South Africa’s government must “re-nationalize” ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd. to avert job losses and rebuild the country’s beleaguered manufacturing industry, according to a leader of a body that represents more than a dozen labor groups.

The company has begun closing steel operations that employ about 3,500 people and support as many as 100,000 indirect jobs after nearly two years of negotiations with the government failed to address its complaints, including high-input costs and competition from cheap imports.

ArcelorMittal’s assets include what was once Iscor Ltd., the state-run steelmaker built during apartheid to shield the country against sanctions and privatized ...