‘Politicians must leave Eskom alone’: NUM prepares legal action against Ramaphosa over Eskom restructuring
The National Union of Mineworkers is preparing to take President Cyril Ramaphosa and the state to court over plans to restructure Eskom. It warned that the proposed separation of the utility's transmission business could weaken the power company and threaten the wider economy.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is preparing legal action against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and the state over proposed changes to Eskom, the country's state-owned utility. The NUM's national executive committee, meeting in Pretoria from August 5-7, decided to challenge the restructuring plans, which aim to separate Eskom's transmission function from the rest of the utility.
The NUM believes these changes could undermine the utility's financial position and have broader economic consequences for workers and the wider economy. NUM Energy Sector Co-ordinator Khangela Baloyi stated that removing transmission assets and revenue from Eskom could weaken the company and potentially lead to its "death." Baloyi also criticized the timing of the proposed restructuring, arguing that the utility's performance has improved and that it does not need urgent changes.
The NUM's legal challenge comes after President Ramaphosa endorsed the Phase I report of the Eskom Restructuring Task Team, which recommends creating an independent, state-owned Transmission System Operator (TSO) to address the challenges facing the utility.
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