South Africa May Face Electricity Strike During World Cup

Workers for South African electricity giant Eskom are threatening to strike next week over wage demands—while the World Cup is still on.
South Africa May Face Electricity Strike During World Cup
6/30/2010
Updated:
6/30/2010
Workers for South African electricity giant Eskom are threatening to strike next week over wage demands—while the World Cup is still on.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which represents 80 percent of Eskom workers, notified the company on Wednesday of its intention to strike next week in support of its wage demands. Two other unions are still locked in discussions.

Eskom is responsible for generating approximately 95 percent of South Africa’s electricity and about 45 percent of all electricity used in Africa, according to the company website.

“It will be a full blown strike like any normal strike action,” said NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka, according to Fin24.com.

In spite of a strike prohibition on Eskom since it constitutes an essential service, Seshoka said members opted to strike anyway.

A strike could mean power failures during World Cup soccer.

NUM, along with the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) and Solidarity are demanding a 9 percent wage increase. They already rejected Eskom’s offer of an 8.5 percent raise plus a 1,000 rand (US$130) housing allowance for the lowest wage earners.

In a media statement from Eskom last Saturday, the company says the demands are unaffordable.

Eskom has already taken out loans to pay approximately 8 billion rand (US$1,04 billion) in interest.