Eskom workers should ‘count their blessings’

WHILE Eskom has announced an end to stage one load shedding across the country, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry has criticised the parastatal’s workers who this week downed tools following a stalemate with bosses over wage increases.

President of the Chamber Janine Myburgh said Eskom workers should “count their blessings and get on with the job” so that the economy could get growing again.

This comes after the power utility announced it was facing financial difficulties and could not afford to give workers salary increases. As a result, the national grid is experiencing constraints because staff downed tools over the news of the zero-percent salary increase for this year.

On Friday night, Eskom stopped stage one load shedding in most areas. However, the power utility said the restoration of power may take longer in some areas.

“We urge all South Africans to use electricity sparingly and wisely,” Eskom said.

According to the Chamber, the victims of the Eskom debacle include the poor and those who have lost their jobs because employers could not afford the high tariffs and had to cut back.

“We can understand that the workers have been angered by the recent behaviour of some top Eskom executives who paid themselves huge salaries and seemed to regard Eskom as their personal ATM. But those days are over,” said Myburgh.

The Chamber feels the attitude of Eskom staff is deeply disappointing.

“We know from the study by the World Bank that Eskom is overstaffed, that its staff are well paid and that they have had a long series of above-inflation pay increases.”

She said that industrial action in these circumstances was simply not acceptable. It was also insulting to the millions of South Africans who have to pay ever higher prices for electricity.

Eskom had confirmed yesterday morning that there would be further stage one load shedding. This was the second consecutive day of load shedding.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM) and Solidarity are calling for a 15% salary increase for workers.

Despite being granted R32.69 billion for its Regulatory Clearing Account from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), Eskom is still strapped for cash.

“We do have plans in place to limit load shedding; these plans can’t be made public because intimidation and sabotage are taking place. Some of our staff have come to work today but, again, we can’t release those numbers because we risk them being intimidated by protesters,” said Dikatso Mothae, acting spokesperson for Eskom.

Stage one load shedding means that 1 000MW of electricity needs to be shed to prevent the national grid from becoming severely damaged.

Numsa said the issues went beyond workers’ wages.

The union objected to Eskom management’s use of primary energy costs as a justification for why workers shouldn’t be given an increase.

Numsa pointed to the connection of independent power producers to the national grid and a bloated and top-heavy executive structure as other problems for Eskom.

A tweet from Eskom’s spokes- person Khulu Phasiwe shows an alleged union note stating: “If you dare work during this shutdown you are subjecting yourself to risk. We hope Eskom will protect you even after hours. Be warned. You are expected to join this march, take this as a warning.”

NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mannburu said its members would continue to picket during lunchtime until they got feedback from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration as to when negotiations would resume.

He said NUM members were not part of any sabotage or intimidation. “We are not protesting, we are picketing during time that is not considered work time.”

Eskom has obtained a court interdict to stop further protest or strikes. This interdict prevents workers or contractors from hijacking coal trucks and sabotaging Eskom’s electrical infrastructure, though there have been reports of violence at various power stations.

The DA’s Natasha Mazzone said the decision by Nersa to grant Eskom’s request to recover more than R32bn by increasing electricity tariffs was essentially making electricity more expensive.

“Unions are demanding an unrealistic 15% wage hike. With the annual inflation rate in April 2018 at 4.5%, these demands are unreasonable,” she added.

Janine Myburgh