Eskom warns of constrained power supply
Eskom says the supply of power is constrained due to what the power utility described as acts of sabotage and intimidation by employees on Thursday.
It says intimidation, attacks on staff, road blockades resulted in the power utility halted the delivery of coal to its substations by road.
“It is for security reasons,” says Eskom’s Khulu Phasiwe.
Hundreds of employees have embarked on a strike against Eskom’s 0% wage increment decision.
According to Phasiwe, working staff have been attacked and protesters have damaged electricity infrastructure.
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The Hendrina, Camden, Kendal, and Arnot stations are not functioning at full capacity.
Eskom is considering applying for an interdict to ensure “that those who want to come to work are enabled to do so”.
“It cannot be right that people that are going to their normal jobs are being preventing from going there.”
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Phasiwe says an employee had to be admitted to hospital after he was attacked by protesters.
“It is very difficult to give everyone support, in a sense that if they hunt you down in your house, then clearly the police can’t even assist you there. In most cases, the police presence are at our facilities. The difficulty is that some of our people is intimidated right where they live.”