NUMSA abhors NERSA decision on tariff increases

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) abhors NERSA's decision to approve tariff increases for Eskom of 24.8% this year, 25.1% in 2011 and 25.9% in 2012. These increases will jeopardize the developmental agenda as encapsulated in the ANC Elections Manifesto with its major priority focus of creating decent work and sustainable livelihoods.

These tariffs are going to exacerbate job losses and negate governments' efforts of creating decent work in the midst of high cost of living and widening income inequalities amongst the rich and the poor.

The workers and the poor have been suffering and feeling the pinch as results of the recession and the disastrous neoliberal policy interventions that have been pursued over the past 15 years by our nascent democratic dispensation. These failed and disastrous neoliberal policies have fuelled a volatile state of turmoil which has led to today's alienation and upsurge of service delivery protests by the working class and the poor communities.

The tariffs approved by NERSA seek to defocus the ANC led Alliance from its historical mission and objectives of liberating our people and improving their social conditions as dictated by the Freedom Charter. We view these tariffs as part of a defeated agenda in Polokwane to use state-owned entities to undermine the developmental agenda that is being advanced by the people's government. These tariffs are nothing else, but a continuation of the angencyfication and corporatisation of state-owned entities for narrow and self-centered profits maximization interests.

As Numsa, we call on the ANC and the Alliance to reject the approved tariffs hikes by NERSA. The failure by the collective to provide leadership on this matter, it will lead to popular mass retaliation on the streets by the working class and the poor.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, February 24 2010

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