Strikes could disrupt SA power infrastructure

7 August 2009

The power infrastructure in South Africa (SA) could face huge disruptions due to workers going on strike.

If the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) 16,000 employees at the country's largest electricity firm Eskom do not receive a 14 per cent pay rise, they will walk out next week, the organisation asserted.

There have been a number of protests across the region recently due to demands for higher salaries.

According to the BBC, this latest one might be very troublesome to South African operations as the "move could cause huge disruption to power supplies".

Eskom asserts it generates 95 per cent of the country's electricity. Its core operations include infrastructure development and energy operations.

The firm also pursues opportunities related to business strategies, such as information technology and telecommunications.

Formed in 1982, the NUM is the largest recognised agent that represents South African workers who are employed in the mining, construction and electrical energy industries.

Category: Energy