The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has said there will not be a total shutdown at Eskom on Thursday, however its members will still march in a mass demonstration to the company’s headquarters in Johannesburg to hand over a memorandum.
NUM and National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) will hold a one-day strike against Eskom’s decision to not increase salaries this year.
Eskom has also appealed to its employees to return to work while the company tries to find a solution to the salary crisis.
Speaking from Megawatt Park, Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe says the company will take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of its employees:
“To ensure that we continue to keep the lights on, we have activated our contingencies and currently all power stations are operating and furthermore, we will also consider a court interdict if necessary to protect the interests of our employees and our assets and to further ensure the security of supply. I humbly appeal to the organised labour, to Eskom employees to return to work while we try to find an amicable solution to this challenge.”
Meanwhile, Eskom cannot guarantee that the lights are going to stay on in the country.
On Tuesday, the NUM and Numsa at Eskom made a joint announcement that they were preparing to go the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for mediation of the 0% wage impasse with Eskom.
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