The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has called on government to take urgent steps to reduce the soaring cost of electricity, warning that failure to act could lead to a “jobs bloodbath.”
According to COSATU, since the introduction of load-shedding in 2006, electricity tariffs have increased by more than 450 percent, placing unbearable pressure on households, workers, and businesses.
COSATU spokesperson Matthew Parks stressed that South Africa’s economy cannot afford to allow “massive financial leakages” at Eskom to continue undermining the power utility’s ability to provide affordable electricity.
“The focus should be on plugging corruption, wasteful expenditure, and mismanagement so that Eskom can deliver reliable, affordable energy that supports job creation instead of destroying it,” Parks said.
The federation has urged government and Eskom to prioritize measures that will protect workers and industries already struggling under the weight of high operating costs and unreliable power supply.
