Workers Down Tools in Protest of Unfair Practices Ahead of Ramaphosa’s Redstone Thermal Solar Plant

• A solar plant in Potsmasburg, Northan Cape, is being accused of not treating its workers well
• The workers at Redstone Therman Solar Plant have accused their employers of not paying a fair wage and of racism
• The workers downed their tools ahead of a visit from President Ramaphosa in protest of the alleged treatment

POSTMASBURG - Efforts to add renewable energy to South Africa's power grid are not without their fair share of problems.

Over 200 Redstone Therman Soal Plant workers downed their tools in protests of unfair practices and outright racism.

The protest coincided with President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to the solar farm in Postmasburg, Northern Cape, on Thursday, 20 October. According to Free State Central News, President Ramamphosa was at the solar farm to conduct a site visit.

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The workers claim they are being underpaid, accusing the contractor of paying them R30 an hour when they have demanded an hourly rate of R50. The workers have also made allegations of racism against their employers.

According to the presidency, the Redstone Therman Solar plant project is part of South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme.

The alleged treatment of the Redstone workers lies in contrast to the government's promise of a just transition to renewable energy. The just transition entails, among other things, that no sector of society would be left behind or treated poorly in the journey to decarbonise South Africa.

According to Redstone shop steward Kagisho Lekwene, the workers will continue to protest until President Ramaphosa addresses their demands, SABC News reported.

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Gwede Mantashe claims South Africa’s green future will result in unemployment and calls for slow energy transition

In another story, Briefly News reported that Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe endorsed fossil fuels again, saying a speedy transition to renewable will increase unemployment and deepen energy poverty.

The Energy Minister made these comments during an address at the Africa Oil Week in Cape Town on Tuesday, 4 October.

Civil Society groups have been protesting outside the conference, with many climate activists armed with banners that say "fossil fuels kill", but according to Mantashe, hunger kills faster.

Source: Briefly News