SAfrica Miners Fear Retrenchment, Urge Government to Slove Power Crisis

Text of report by South African Radio 702 on 28 January

Miners have called on government and Eskom to sort out the current power problems as a matter of urgency as they say they are worried about job losses.

The country’s top mining houses suspended their operations on Friday after Eskom advised them to limit their power demands as a result of the ongoing power emergency.

Miners in Carltonville say they are anxious to resume their duties but it remains to be seen exactly when they will go back underground.

Government and Eskom will meet mining bosses for a second round of talks soon but the workers say they will hold their own meeting in the meantime.

There are growing concerns the gold and platinum companies will shed scores of jobs if they continue to lose huge amounts of money each day.

Those who live in Carltonville say they fear the local economy could collapse if the miners are retrenched.

Meanwhile, Eskom says load shedding has resumed in some parts of the country, albeit on a lesser scale.

The company says industrial customers have been helping by cutting down consumption, but the system remains very tight and there will necessarily be power cuts in some areas.

Originally published by Radio 702, Johannesburg, in English 0000 28 Jan 08.

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