Eskom pledges to help Yende’s kin

MEC says killing of women must end

Eskom has pledged to assist the family of their slain employee Thembisile Yende whose body was found in a storeroom next to the Pieterboth substation in Ekurhuleni on May 29, 13 days after she went missing.

The pledge was made by Eskom’s general manager (transmission and grid) Jacob Machinjike at Yende’s memorial service at the KwaThema Community Hall in Ekurhuleni yesterday

But Machinjike did not elaborate how the power utility planned to help the Yende family.

“I am here to declare our presence, that we will support the family. We are very saddened at the loss of our employee. The circumstances require us to do more,” Machinjike said.

Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi called on Eskom to show the family compassion.

“... All we are asking is for you to be on the side of the family. For God’s sake she was your employee,” Lesufi said.

He urged South Africans to work together to end the killing of women.

Numsa second deputy pres- ident, Ruth Ntlokotse, described Eskom as an uncaring employer.

She called on the company to conduct an internal investigation into Yende’s death.

“Thembi was a victim of an uncaring employer,” she said.

Yende’s partner, Paseka Modisane, said he found it hard to believe that she had died. Yende was described by family and friends as a smart, loving and caring person. She will be buried tomorrow.