Eskom has warned that it cannot guarantee a secure power supply as workers stage protests at several of the utility’s power stations and regional offices in different parts of the country.
Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe is attending an urgent meeting after updating the situation around the protests by NUM and Numsa in a series of tweets.
Furthermore, we demand an urgent meeting with the Eskom Board, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Minister Jeff Radebe. We demand that they meet with all three unions with speed to resolve the current impasse between Eskom and unions and give workers their deserve wage increase.
— NUM (@NUM_Media) June 13, 2018
Eskom protest underway at MegawattPark. Around 3000 workers expected to join the protest against Eskom 0% wage increase pic.twitter.com/3OWSKMSxnK
— NUM (@NUM_Media) June 14, 2018
He says workers are demonstrating and barricading roads around various Eskom premises, including power stations. Phasiwe says intimidation of workers not joining the protest is rife.
Workers are protesting as Eskom’s refusal to grant them a pay increase this year.
Buses carrying thousands of protesting workers from various power stations around the country have started arriving at Eskom’s head office at Megawatt Park in the north of Johannesburg.
Eskom says the power stations have been left unmanned, meaning they are operating at lower capacity. Workers are protesting as Eskom’s refusal to grant them a pay increase this year.