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In an open letter to the Eskom board, Solidarity called on the board to put operational needs above racial transformation. This comes after a submission to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy which highlighted how a lack of experience at Eskom is hamstringing the running of coal-fired power stations. Solidarity’s open letter is available here:
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To the Members of the Eskom board

Skills, transformation and national accountability – time for courageous leadership

South Africans have watched Eskom’s challenges unfold with a mixture of despair and cautious hope. Your recent report to Parliament, acknowledging the severity of Eskom’s skills shortage and the ongoing operational constraints it faces, confirms what many feared: The utility continues to suffer from a deep institutional capacity crisis.
We do recognise that, since the appointment of the current board and executive management, there has been a degree of operational improvement. Loadshedding has been reduced compared to the same period a year ago. This signals encouraging intent and focus. However, as the Daily Investor reported on 15 May 2025, this progress appears to be plateauing once more. Units still fail shortly after being returned to service, and Eskom continues to rely on external contractors for core operations.

“Eskom has lost so many skilled employees that it now requires assistance from external companies and original equipment manufacturers to run its power stations.”
– Daily Investor, 15 May 2025

In 2022, Solidarity responded to a direct request for assistance by submitting a list of over 300 qualified and experienced technical professionals, many of whom had previously worked at Eskom. Collectively, they represented more than 5 500 years of engineering and operational expertise. These individuals were willing to return, mentor and support Eskom’s recovery – yet only 18 were appointed.

This problem is not new – it is the direct result of Eskom’s own policies. Over the years, the utility adopted an aggressively ideological approach to transformation, placing rigid demographic targets above operational necessity. The resulting exodus of skilled professionals left power stations exposed, institutional memory depleted, and public confidence shattered.

“Eskom’s internal political environment and transformation concerns have hamstrung its ability to make full use of available expertise.”
– MyBroadband, 29 September 2022

Furthermore, we draw the board’s attention to the binding agreement reached between Solidarity and the South African government, which was made an order of the Labour Court on 31 October 2024. This agreement, brokered under the supervision of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), now defines the legal parameters for employment equity in South Africa.

We believe it is now time for the board to acknowledge what the public already knows: the ideological rigidity that led to the loss of these skills was a mistake, and repeating it is unacceptable. The burden of loadshedding is not carried equally. It falls heaviest on the poor and vulnerable. It disrupts access to healthcare, education, safety, and affects dignity. When ideology is placed above impact, the result is not transformation – it is regression.

In terms of the court order and agreement:
- Racial policies must be temporary, not permanent;
- Race may not be the sole factor in drafting employment equity plans;
- The available skills pool and operational needs of the employer must be central;
- Dismissals, exclusions, or appointments forfeited based on race alone are unlawful; and
- Employers may lawfully deviate from rigid racial plans based on legitimate business needs.

These terms are not simply advisory by nature. They carry the force of law. Eskom, as a public utility, is constitutionally obliged to comply. The very regulations once used to justify current practices have now been legally invalidated. To persist with racial rigidity is not only operationally reckless – it is unlawful.

Solidarity is prepared, once again, to assist. Should Eskom show a willingness to comply with the court order and adopt a principled, competence-based approach to recovery, we are ready to present a new list of skilled professionals willing to support the utility’s rebuilding.
This is a pivotal moment for Eskom and for South Africa. The nation is watching – not just for the lights to stay on, but for leadership to shine through.

Issued by Deputy General Secretary: Public Sector Solidarity Helgard Cronje