NEHAWU condemns the National Energy Regulator of South Africa ‘s {NERSA} outrageous decision to grant Eskom excessive tariff increases of 24.8% this year, 25.1% in 2011 and 25.9% in 2012.

We are extremely worried about the devastating impact this decision will have on the working class and the poor as it comes after an economic recession that has left them struggling to feed their families.

This increase makes a mockery of the government’s promise for the creation of decent work because it threatens the survival of small businesses whose collapse would exacerbate the loss of jobs.

The union is angered that the people of South Africa are being made to pay for the mistakes of bungling administrations and we are disappointed that the current administration has failed to cushion the poor people of this country by financing Eskom’s capital expenditure.

NEHAWU will mobilize to ensure that the promises made to the poor are fulfilled and will fiercely oppose any decision that betrays the poor South Africans and condemns them to a cycle of poverty.