#CosatuNationalStrike: 'Eskom must end renewable energy contracts with IPPs'

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Johannesburg - Cosatu's planned national strike has kicked off in Johannesburg as the federation and its affiliates are fighting job losses, corruption and privatisation. Members of different unions have painted the usually Lilian Ngoyi Street as they marched on the Gauteng provincial legislature to deliver the federation's memorandum of demands. There was a heavy police presence at the precinct of the legislature ahead of the delivery of the memorandum. Workers at Cosatu's national strike have rejected Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Uhuru Moiloa, from accepting their memorandum at the provincial legislature. The marchers have instead called for Premier David Makhura to come and receive the memorandum himself and not delegate his "juniors".

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Among the demands is the end to state capture and the commitment from government that there will be no privatisation in state-owned companies, including Eskom.

SACP first deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila said the government will have to be open about how it will unbundle Eskom amid the deepening crisis at the power utility which has led to blackouts throughout the country.

In its memorandum, Cosatu is calling for Eskom to end all its contracts with independent power producers and build its own capacity in renewable energy, as IPPs were expensive.

"We demand that Eskom must initiate and invest in its own renewable energy processes than to rely on the private sector. We demand that Eskom must suspend with immediate effect all commitments to purchase renewable energy from IPPs which are draining and collapsing the institution," Cosatu said.

Political Bureau