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The civil rights organisation AfriForum today requested that the labour disputes at Eskom, which have resulted in load shedding, be resolved urgently.

Dr Eugene Brink, Strategic Advisor for Community Affairs at AfriForum, says that load shedding has a negative impact on communities, consumers and the business sector – in fact, on the whole country. In addition, power interruptions will occur more regularly and for longer periods if the sabotaging and intimidation that currently affect power generation operations continue or increase. This even though the power giant has obtained an urgent court order to prevent this sort of disruption.

“Eskom’s management has already indicated that it wants to resume discussions with trade unions. Employees must therefore commit themselves once more to these negotiations. The parties concerned will have to reach difficult compromises to find a balance between the respective interests.”

Brink also requested that the electricity provision sector be decentralised to promote private power generation. “This will empower communities to become more self-reliant.”

Issued by AfriForum