Both politicsweb.co.za and businesstech.co.za quotes Trade Union Solidarity who claims as many as 3,389 skilled white employees, including 1,081 white engineers and managers, will be sacked as part of the accelerated affirmative action policy. The aims is to reflect the national demography by 31 March 2020.
Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann is quoted as saying: “According to these targets, there are approximately 3,400, or 44%, white employees too many at Eskom. The job levels that will be hardest hit are those of qualified, experienced specialists and middle management. Trade unions must now be consulted about the new Eskom plans… We are completely stunned by the new proposals. Eskom is currently experiencing a (load shedding) crisis and now we, together with other trade unions have to consult with them about more aggressive affirmative action.”
Most of the posts that are being targeted are of critical importance to Eskom as the company struggles to shake off regular load shedding. “Of the approximate 3,400 whites who have to be shed, around 3,200 are in posts that are on critical technical and managerial levels,” Hermann said.
Solidarity says they have used Eskom documents to work out how the retrenchments will be rolled out. The 2020 target will be achieved over five years by reaching annual targets.
“Eskom’s top priority must be to keep the lights on,” the DA said in a statement. The party also said South Africa faces a skills shortage in the engineering sector.
