SACP will fight against job losses at Eskom – Nzimande

THE SACP has warned that it will mobilise trade unions, especially Cosatu, to ensure that President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers on his promise to prevent the unbundling of Eskom from leading to job losses in the country.

The SACP made the call as it formally endorsed the move to unbundle Eskom, saying it was part of Ramaphosa’s plan to clean state owned enterprises of corruption.

Yesterday, SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande was adamant that his party’s priority following the announcement was to retain the jobs of thousands of those employed by the power utility.

“We are going to mobilise workers in the country to ensure that the unbundling of Eskom does not lead to its privatisation.

“We want government to make a commitment so that privatisation does not actually happen,” Nzimande said.

While security of jobs appeared to be the major issue, the communists also reiterated their call to law enforcement agencies to speed up the process of arresting those who were responsible for state capture and, according to Nzimande, this included those in the criminal justice system and intelligence unit in the country.

Nzimande said his party wanted Eskom to play a central role in the generation of cleaner and renewable energy.

Detailing his party’s plans following the SACP’s central committee meeting over the weekend, Nzimande said his party was throwing its full weight behind efforts led by Ramaphosa “in cleaning the state”.

This included ridding “state owned enterprises of the corruption and malfeasance that threatened to run out of control over the last decade”, Nzimande said.

“We were the first party to call for a probe into state capture.

“We were also the first to say the criminal justice system and intelligence were captured.

“We are happy that the NPA cleaned up.

“We hope this will take us closer to a cleaner system,” Nzimande said.

He said that they hope that the Zondo commission will conclude its findings soon which would later be followed by the speedy arrest of those involved.

“Immediate and decisive action must be taken against those who have looted Eskom and every attempt should be made to recover the financial losses from them.

“Decisive action also needs to be taken against anybody responsible for sabotage at Eskom,” he said.

Nzimande said within the severe budgetary constraints, the state has to continue to provide financial and other support to stabilise and strengthen Eskom but, he warned, that must be accompanied by proper oversight and accountability.

He also made a call to government that it must ensure that priority was given to other programmes and projects aimed at “inclusive growth, job creation and a radical reduction of inequalities”.

Nzimande said: “It is in the interests of the working class to ensure that we build and rebuild the policy tools necessary for a more effective and increasingly efficient SOE industrial strategy.

“The SACP will be engaging with political economists, academics and allies in the labour movement to develop concrete proposals to advance the interests of the working class and poor.” is