The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with concern demands by Eskom managers for a salary hike and the reported warning by the utility that a strike and load shedding might be possible later this year if this demand is not met. Reports also indicate that the senior managers have now approached the CCMA to resolve to matter.
The DA calls on all the parties involved to resolve their salary disputes in a responsible manner by not plunging the economy and the utility into even further distress.
Should this salary hike be granted, it could cost the power utility – which is already in its worst ever financial state – up to R300 million.
Due to a deepening financial crisis and R20.7 billion in losses in the past financial year, ordinary South Africans will now be expected to pay up yet again as Eskom’s senior managers, who earn between R1.5 million and R3 million a year, are requesting higher salaries and bonuses.
Senior management should be an example when it comes to austerity measures by reviewing salaries instead of holding the country and the economy to ransom because they have not been given a salary increase.
Eskom’s financial trajectory is not sustainable. South Africa cannot afford a recurrence of load shedding, as we stare down the slow collapse of the entity. This will have irreparable consequences for our already ailing economy and ordinary citizens.
In order to reduce the cost of electricity and bring about much-needed competition, the DA introduced the Cheaper Energy Bill as an alternative plan to save and stabilise Eskom to secure South Africa’s power supply. This will break Eskom into two separate entities – a generation entity which is privatised and a transmission/distribution entity and ensure that South Africa is not being forced to pay for the corruption and mismanagement which has taken place at Eskom.
The DA will continue to fight for an efficient and well managed Eskom, which will put the interest of the country first because South Africans deserve reliable energy to the economy to empower people to grow the economy and create jobs for the millions of unemployed South Africans.