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The Democratic Alliance welcomes reports that work at the Medupi Power Station has finally resumed after several weeks of industrial action.

Reports indicate that 7 000 workers are currently on site and have resumed the building project.

This is a step in the right direction if we are to stabilise the country’s energy supply and meet the December deadline for the roll-out of the first phase of the project.

While we welcome the news, we hope the agreement between Minister Malusi Gigaba, Eskom and the contractors is not just a temporary measure but a permanent solution.

Once the Minister receives an assessment from the contractors on the impact of the labour unrest and how they plan to mitigate it, he needs to brief the public enterprises portfolio committee in full.

If there is even a possibility that this is just a stop-gap resolution, and that the unrest may resume at some point in the future, the Minister must appoint permanent mediators from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation & Arbitration (CCMA) to ensure that all stakeholders remain committed to the completion of the project.  
 
Eskom cannot afford to have any further delays as this would have a devastating effect on our economy, jobs and the livelihood of thousands of South Africans.