JOHANNESBURG — South Africa could face a complete blackout, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) warned yesterday in response to a court interdict against a strike at Eskom.
The union would embark on an unprotected strike if Eskom did not meet its demand of at least a double-digit wage increase, Numsa head of collective bargaining Stephen Nhlapo said during a protest outside the power utility’s Megawatt Park headquarters in Sunninghill, Johannesburg.
The power utility has obtained a court interdict to prevent its workers from striking because it is designated an essential service provider.
Nhlapo said the union would not be intimidated if Eskom threatened mass dismissals. “There is not going to be load-shedding. It will be total blackout.”
The interdict interfered with workers’ constitutionally-enshrined right to strike, he said.
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