UZOCISHWA kuze kube wuMsombuluko ugesi njengoba izolo, i-Eskom iqale uhlelo lokunqamula ugesi ngokwesigaba sesithathu.
UMnuz Sikhonathi Mantshantsha okhulumela i-Eskom, uthe balindele ukuthi uhlelo lokucishwa kukagesi lwehlele esigabeni sesibili ngoMgqibelo kuze kube wuMsombuluko.
Uthe bazokwazisa umphakathi ngesimo sikagesi ngeSonto noma uma kukhona okushintshayo. Udalule ukuthi ukufa kwemishini emihlanu ebusuku ngoLwesithathu, yikona okwenza ukuthi baqale uhlelo lokunqamula ugesi ngokwesigaba sesithathu. Imishini efile iseKendal naseKusile.
UMantshantsha uthe ugesi ongekho ngokohlelo lokukhanda imishini uwu-5 146MW, bese kuthi ongekho ngenxa yokufa kwemishini obekungalindelekile ube wu-16 434MW.
NgoLwesithathu ebusuku iSouth African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) ibiqhinqe ngaphandle kwamahhovisi ase-Eskom eGauteng, ngenhloso yokukhononda futhi ithi ikhathele wukucishwa kukagesi.
UNobhala Jikelele weSaftu, uMnuz Zwelinzima Vavi, uthe uhlelo lokunqamula ugesi alubi ngcono kunalokho isimo siya ngokuba sibi kakhulu njengoba kusaphethe isikhulu esiphezulu, uMnuz Andre de Ruyter.
UVavi uthe akukwazi ukuthi masonto wonke kungafa imishini ukube bekunohlelo olucacile lokuyilungisa. Ukhononda nangokuthi indlela efa ngayo imishini kubukeka sengathi i-Eskom yenza ngamabomu ngoba ifuna kube nezinkampani ezizimele ezithenga amasheya kuyo.
Uqhube wathi beyiSaftu abahambisani nokuthi i-Eskom ibe sezandleni zezinkampani ezizimele ngoba lokho kuzokwenza ukuthi ugesi umbe eqolo ikakhulu kwabampofu.
“Sifuna luphele uhlelo lokunqanyulwa kukagesi, kungakhethwa imiphakathi ngoba ucwaningo luveza ukuthi ugesi uhamba kakhulu ezindaweni zabamnyama noma okuhlala kuzo abasebenzi. Sifuna kusule isikhulu esiphezulu sase-Eskom uMnuz Andre de Ruyter, bese i-Eskom iba sezandleni zabantu abazokwazi ukuyilungisa. Siyababona beletha abakhiqizi bakagesi abazimele abazokwenza ukuthi ugesi ubize,” kubhoka uVavi.