Eskom Allegedly Plans on Retrenching 500 Workers While Mzansi Struggles With Worsening Loadshedding

• The embattled power utility Eskom is allegedly planning to fire 500 skilled maintenance workers in line with its Employment Equity Plan
• The EE plan has piqued the interest of the Solidarity trade union which has accused the power utility of following racial lines in its retrenchment plan
• Solidarity has threatened to take Eskom to court if it follows through with retrenching 500 skilled workers by 2025

JOHANNESBURG- South Africa's barely functional power utility Eskom, allegedly plans to send 500 skilled workers, mostly responsible for maintenance work, packing by 2025.

The Solidarity trade union said that the move forms part of the power utilities Employment Equity Plan for the next two years. According to a press release issued by the union, the retrenchment plan follows racial lines and targets mostly white males who make up 431 of the 500 employees to be retrenched.

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Solidarity's legal team sent Eskom a letter demanding an end to race-based appointments at the embattled power utility. The trade union said that in order to get South Africa out of its power crisis, people with the best skills needed to be deployed regardless of race, My Broadband reported.

Solidarity has threatened to take the power utility to court if Eskom proceeds with its plans to retrench white maintenance workers. The trade union also announced that it is preparing for a court case to have the utility exempt from BBBEE requirements, claiming that the policy is costing Eskom billions.

Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said:

“Eskom should now focus on one thing only and that is not race, but power. South Africans do not need race targets but light in their homes and power for their businesses.”

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Loadshedding sparks fear in business owners: “We are basically burning profits”

Curious about what our readers think about Eskom's retrenchment plan, Briefly News asked the public if action should be taken against Eskom.

South Africans weigh in on Eskom's plan to fire 500 skilled workers

Mzansi is baffled about why the struggling power utility would fire workers at a time when they need them most.

Below are some comments:

Nadeem Francke asked:

"Retrenching skilled workers ? Please, am I understanding correctly, so when there'll be no skills then who will do the work?"

Gavin Comer slammed:

"Incompetent ANC."

Thabang Sidwell Ntshela questioned:

"So white men are only skilled people who can't be replaced?"

Mncube Victor demanded:

"Cat and mouse game must just stop. When will this company drama end?"

Elias Ndlovu added:

"431 white men. Can someone tell me something? Are we now being hired by colour or is it an ANC strategy?"

Milaski Morubane complained:

"It's not raining but pouring."

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President Cyril Ramaphosa says loadshedding can't be solved overnight, leaving Mzansi fuming

Msholozi Karabo speculated:

"What if those white employees are sabotaging Eskom."

Eskom downgrades loadshedding from Stage 5 to 4, Mzansi still not happy: “It doesn’t help with anything”

In a related story, Briefly News reported that citizens have expressed outrage over Eskom’s announcement that loadshedding would be reduced to Stage 4.

The power utility made the announcement on Friday, January 27. Stage 4 began at 5am and is expected to continue indefinitely.

Loadshedding was previously on Stage 4 and Stage 5 rotation due to Eskom’s volatile and unpredictable grid. According to TimesLIVE, Eskom was expected to implement Stage 5 from Thursday, January 26 until Saturday, January 28.

Source: Briefly News