Gigaba ‘deeply concerned’ about coal strike

2012-10-12 14:30

Brewing strike action in the coal sector is “deeply concerning”, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said.

“I am deeply concerned about the industrial action that has kicked off in the coal sector,” he told reporters in Johannesburg today.

Coal is a critical input in electricity production.

Speaking at power parastatal Eskom’s report on the state of the electricity supply going into summer, Gigaba urged the mining sector to resolve the industrial action.

Eskom chief executive Brian Dames said they had been closely monitoring coal mines as wildcat strikes in the mining industry hit South Africa over the last two months.

“We have seen some protest action on some coal mines over the last week or so,” the minister said.

President Jacob Zuma said yesterday that R118 million in coal production had been lost due to strikes from the middle of last month.

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