Sowetan writes that embattled power utility Eskom enters a make or break week as its unions reported back to their members with their latest offer of 6.2% at the weekend.

Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said they were hoping an agreement would be reached and signed on Friday when the parties reconvene in Woodmead.

“We are hopeful that an agreement can be signed on Friday so that we can focus on keeping the lights on,” Phasiwe said on Sunday.

He said with the cold front fast approaching, it was important for Eskom to focus on its mandate of ensuring that there was constant power supply in the country.

Eskom unions went into this leg of negotiations, initiated by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, with a mandate that included a demand for housing allowances and double-digit increases among others

However, unions have nothing else but a 6.2% “take it or leave it” offer from the cash strapped power utility to report back on.

National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu said the shop stewards’ council which was initially planned for today would now happen on Thursday to allow for more consultation with members.

“All shop stewards will give us feedback on the Eskom offer before we go back to the negotiations on Friday,” Mammburu said.

An Eskom employee who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “We are not happy that Eskom is not entertaining the housing allowance issue, which is a matter that’s very close to our hearts.

“Eskom is seemingly now coming with a take it or leave it kind of attitude.”

This week will see NUM, the biggest union at Eskom, convening its national shop stewards’ council in Midrand on Thursday, where workers will respond to Eskom’s final offer.

Eskom did not commit on any of the other demands, including the finalisation of the minimum service agreement, housing allowance and the discontinuation of the independent power producers.

NUM and other recognised unions at Eskom, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and Solidarity presented a joint 9% salary increase demand after meeting ahead of the negotiations and consolidated their mandates.

The original of this report by Isaac Mahlangu appeared on page 5 of Sowetan of 2 July 2018

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