Eskom warns of power cuts should pickets get out of hand
Eskom has
warned that the country’s electricity supply could be under threat, should
Thursday’s pickets by workers descend into chaos.
Thousands of Eskom employees are expected to embark on lunchtime pickets across the country on Thursday, demonstrating their dissatisfaction with Eskom’s decision not to offer wage increases this year.
Eskom Group CEO Phakamani Hadebe says if picketing is done appropriately, then electricity supply will not be affected.
“If Eskom employees keep to the acceptable processes that should be followed, we don’t see any problem with any security of supply.. However, if they endeavour outside of the skirmishes that we saw today, then we are worried."
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A picket is set to take place at the Eskom’s Megawatt Park headquarters on Thursday.
The National Union of Mineworkers the (NUM), the National Union of Metalworkers South Africa (Numsa) says the picket has been organised to show workers’ dissatisfaction with the situation at the power utility.
The two unions, together with Solidarity, have all declared a dispute with the Commission of Conciliation Meditation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Hadebe has welcomed the intervention by an independent body.
“We welcome an independent arbitrator coming from the CCMA and we will take it from there,” he said.