‘Hogan wants to privatise Eskom’ 26 February 2010
Kingdom Mabuza
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*Public Enterprises Minister on collision course with union*
THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has accused
Minister of Public Enterprises Barbara Hogan of subtly trying to privatise
Eskom.
“This was what she said when she was hired for the job, and then she was
compelled to retreat from a policy that simply has not worked,” Numsa
spokesperson Castro Ngobese said yesterday.
Numsa was not pleased with Hogan’s utterances that “we are not selling off,
but getting equity partners. At the same time we need independent power
producers” .
Departmental spokesperson Ayanda Shezi yesterday said Hogan was willing to
meet the unions to clarify her statement.
Ngobese said: “There are clear indications that the Zuma administration is
privatising Eskom despite failed intentions of the previous administration
under Thabo Mbeki.”
Ngobese said Hogan was “covertly implementing Gear interventions in terms of
which national assets such as Eskom are handed to profiteers on a silver
platter” .
“The World Bank is attempting to build privatisation into its proposed
4billion (about R31billion) loan to Eskom, which Numsa formally opposes,” he
said.
Ngobese said Hogan should consider assembling a team of experts to
investigate the crisis at Eskom.
“The team, to be assembled in consultation with trade unions and civil
society, should investigate the forces behind the huge tariff hikes, the
procurement practices and the role of consultants,” Ngobese said.
“As Numsa, we are prepared to go to the streets to oppose any clandestine,
for-profit privatisation of Eskom .”
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