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Eskom announced the implementation of stage 6 load shedding from Tuesday, 28 June 2022 citing ‘unlawful industrial action’ by workers as the cause of these drastic measures.

We believe that the difficulties faced by Eskom workers that led them to go on strike are a result of racial capitalism and what we have termed ‘energy racism’ in a recent report (Energy Racism Report). Eskom workers are requesting a 12% wage increase while the utility is offering a 5% increase that is below inflation. Workers simply cannot survive on their salaries! The cost of living has risen exponentially, and Eskom continues to increase its tariffs. Ironically the same workers who produce electricity cannot enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Eskom has long been experiencing problems due to mismanagement, corruption and lack of vision. There have been frequent breakdowns of its units due to poor maintenance. We contend that in this instance workers are being used as scapegoats to divert public attention from the real issues faced by the power utility.

Eskom issued patronizing media statement calling on workers to ‘put South Africa first’ and to ‘respect the law’. Eskom habitually blames ‘illegal connections; and cable theft to justify its see-sawing between load shedding stages. Eskom officials allegedly walked out of wage negotiations showing its arrogance and lack of accountability.

The frequent on-and-off of power plants causes damage to infrastructure. It is black working-class areas that suffer the longest spells of darkness, and who have to wait the longest time for repairs and call-ups in the event of equipment malfunctions.   

Load shedding has resulted in calls for Independent Power Producers(IPPS) so that they can generate power from renewable energy sources. Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse said there is a ‘need to fast track the introduction of IPPS’ to deal with the crisis. This will advance the government’s neoliberal policies and the agenda of self-enrichment and tenderpreneurship which has ruined Eskom. The capitalist elite are already positioning themselves to maximally benefit from these deals.

The different levels of loadshedding have been disruptive on people’s lives and livelihoods. Small businesses have reported damage to appliance, loss of income and some have had to close shop. We are in the middle of winter; poor working-class people are forced to seek alternative sources of power on budgets that are already stretched thin with some energy sources posing risks to health and the environment. Youth who are struggling to make it in the current economic climate, have increasingly resorted to supplementary income streams including virtual work to make ends meet; the blackouts have similarly disrupted their livelihoods. There seems to be no way out for the working class.

We will never stop championing the rights and dignity of the working class. We urge Eskom to prioritise the needs of workers over profit, to expand its generation capacity through socially owned public renewable energy, to significantly upgrade and improve servicing of all areas equally, and to stop blaming its shortcomings on workers.

Issued by the Centre for Sociological Research and Practice, University of Johannesburg