ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Wednesday that the signing by the Department of Energy on behalf of Eskom of 27 independent power producer (IPP) deals was an insult to the working class and the poor.
The union threatened to withdraw its support for the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Paris Mashego, NUM energy sector coordinator, said: “We are highly angered that the ANC-led government has signed the outstanding 27 IPPs contracts. The clean energy project is hijacked by the capitalist for their narrow capitalist interests. The ANC led government is privatizing Eskom through the back door to satisfy their Davos handlers and white monopoly capital.” Energy Minister Jeff Radebe signed the hotly-contested renewable energy agreements with 27 IPPs on Wednesday. But Mashego said that the NUM was not going to continue supporting the ANC-led government because it was “destroying jobs”. He claimed that over 40,000 jobs would be lost in mining, energy and the entire value chain, “rendering Witbank and the surrounding areas into ghost towns.” Mashego demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa should stop and reverse the decision on the IPPs.
- Read this report in full at The Citizen
- See too, Minister signs 27 renewable energy agreements after two-year delay, at BusinessLive
- And also, Eskom IPPs: Numsa oorweeg massa-aksie ná neerlaag in hof, at Netwerk24 (paywall access)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page