The Medupi power station remained closed on Tuesday, following protests by Eskom contract employees last week, engineering group Murray & Roberts said.

Spokesperson Ed Jardim told Engineering News Online that operations at the power station near Lephalale, in Limpopo, were put on hold on Friday, although no violence had been reported since then.

"The safety of the labour force, as they are not on site, is not being impacted. Discussions and investigations continue,” he noted.

Jardim added that site closure has been done in consultation with Eskom and the construction programme might be adjusted where needed. “The site is calm,” he said.

It was unclear when operations would resume at the 4 764 MW power station, which was expected to start generating power for the national grid next year.

On Thursday, about 80 workers contracted by Murray & Roberts and Grinaker-LTA damaged several vehicles and some equipment at the site.

The workers were protesting because the contracts of about 600 local employees were due to end.

Newswire Sapa quoted police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Ronel Otto as saying on Tuesday that buses used to transport workers to the power station were burnt at Ditloung village near Medupi.