Eskom says there is a strong possibility of further load shedding on Sunday as the power system remains constrained.
The power utility has blamed striking workers for sabotaging power generation and intimidating workers.
On Saturday, Eskom implemented stage-two load shedding from 5pm onwards.
Wage negotiations are set to resume on Tuesday as workers demand a 15% salary increase.
Eskom deputy spokesperson Dikatso Mothae says, “The system does remain constrained. As you are aware we had to go into stage two load shedding yesterday and the system today also remains constrained and there is a likelihood of us having to go into load shedding in the evening from about 5 o’clock. We do ask customers if they can assist us by using their electricity efficiently throughout the day, but most especially during the evening peak from 5 until about 9. We are hoping to go back to the negotiation table and we hope and think we’ll start to normalise as from the beginning of the week.”
Meanwhile, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says the unions cannot be blamed for the load shedding taking place as Eskom management should have counter-measures and coal reserves for such situations.
Numsa General-Secretary Irvin Jim denies that workers engaged in any sabotage.
“We are not a terrorist organisation, our members have no reason to be embarking on sabotage. I mean Eskom management and Khulu Phasiwe have been saying they’ve got a plan B. One doubts that Eskom management is on top of their role as management that they would have organised themselves so that they have got enough coal so that we don’t have the blackouts. One does not understand why we should have these blackouts and they simply make a simple accusation to say that it’s Numsa that has created this problem,” says Jim.
