Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for greater attention to be given to the reskilling of Eskom workers “so that they can be absorbed” into clean-energy technology work opportunities.  

In a statement following its national executive committee (NEC) meeting on 25 and 26 April, the NUM continued to express misgivings over independent power producers (IPPs), as well as the proposed unbundling of Eskom into three separate businesses of generation, transmission and distribution.  It reported, however, that it had resolved to seek expert advice on IPPs and to assess alternatives.  The union urged government to extend its focus beyond the introduction of new power generating technologies and to pay greater attention to the reskilling of the current Eskom workers “so they can be absorbed into the envisaged clean-energy technology, if indeed it is going to create more jobs as they claim”.  “The government is still not clear on the possibility of job losses as well as privatisation of Eskom,” the NUM said, while lambasting Energy Minister Jeff Radebe and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni for treating its concern over Eskom “with disdain”.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly

Read the NUM’s press statement on the outcomes of matter deliberated on at the NEC meeting at Polity

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page