Shock over Eskom’s proposed shutdown
Numsa warns closing 5 coal-powered stations could jeopardise 6 000 jobs
THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has threatened industrial action over Eskom’s plans to close some power stations. Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said the union was dismayed and shocked by the power utility’s announcement last week that it planned to shut down five coal-fired power stations.
Eskom said five power stations – Hendrina, Kriel, Komati, Grootvlei and Camden – all in Mpumalanga, would be closed.
Jim said the move would put the jobs of at least 6 000 workers on the line, and Numsa wanted to place it on record no consultation took place between the board of Eskom and the trade unions.
He said Numsa was convinced the lack of consultation demonstrated there was an attempt to “hide the real reasons for this drastic course of action”.
“Eskom is well aware that, if it has plans to end jobs or retrench workers, it must follow due process, which includes declaring section 189 (of the Labour Relations Act) so that proper retrenchment processes can take place. This has not happened,” Jim said.
Numsa had been engaging with workers to establish the next course of action.
If necessary, Numsa would go on strike, and “if that means plunging the country into darkness, that is the strategy we must adopt. As Numsa, we will do whatever is legally necessary to defend the thousands of jobs which are at stake”, Jim said.
Numsa was looking to engage with the National Union of Mineworkers on this issue.
“For the sake of the workers, we need to put our ideological differences aside to formulate a united strategy to fight this attack on workers.”
Numsa was also consulting lawyers to establish if it had any legal recourse to deal with “the latest onslaught against workers.”