Eskom workers must not be punished because of looters: Cosatu

Law enforcement agencies should expedite the process of bringing to book all the culprits who are responsible for looting and mismanaging Eskom‚ says the Congress of South African Trade Unions.

"We want to make it very clear that we will remain vigilant and will ensure that the workers at Eskom are not made to pay a price for the sins of others‚" said Sizwe Pamla‚ Cosatu's national spokesperson.

The national leadership of the trade union federation met with the Minister of Public Enterprises‚ Pravin Gordhan‚ on Wednesday afternoon‚ to discuss the wage freeze imposed by the electricity utility.

Workers are planning lunchtime pickets on Thursday to protest against the announcement of a zero percent salary increase this year as Eskom tries to correct its balance sheet.

Pamla said: "Cosatu made it very clear to the Minister that while we support his efforts to turnaround and clean up the state-owned entities‚ we will not allow a situation where workers are forced to pay for the sins of others. Our position is that the 0% offer made to workers by the Eskom negotiators is offensive and provocative."

He said the minister had undertaken to engage Eskom on the salary increase negotiations.