Solidarity publishes tender document indicating skills shortage in Eskom

11 August 2022

Solidarity today published a tender document indicating that Eskom is looking for critical skills. These include project managers, maintenance managers and expertise in returning generating units to service at power stations.  

Solidarity published this document in response to the claim by Eskom’s head of human resources that no skills shortage existed in Eskom. 

“It is impossible to address the problem if senior staff members at Eskom do not acknowledge it. Eskom itself, the Minister of Public Enterprises and President Ramaphosa all acknowledge the problem but the person in Eskom who must address the problem refuses to acknowledge it,” said Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann. 

The tender document issued by Eskom earlier this year mentions a “large-scale exodus of skills” as well as a “massive brain drain” within Eskom, especially with regard to power generation. 

“The document itself also explains that simply because new appointments have been made, this does not mean the issue regarding skills has been addressed. Newly appointed employees do need so-called residence time to build up the level of competence needed to function properly in their roles, as the document itself explains,” Hermann said. 

In addition to the tender document, Minister Pravin Gordhan also indicated in a letter to Solidarity which skills were in short supply at Eskom. The skills in Gordhan’s letter include experienced engineers, senior artisans and plant operators. 

Solidarity sent a list of 300 experts to Minister Gordhan and Eskom that addresses the skills challenges in the tender document and in Minister Gordhan’s letter. 

“Skilled people in South Africa are willing to help. The answer is on Eskom’s and the Minister’s desks. The rest of South Africa is anxiously waiting for the problem to be resolved but there are bottlenecks in Eskom. It is general knowledge that a skills shortage exists within Eskom – the lights are off. So for certain members of Eskom management to attack this consensus shows their denial of reality. Eskom needs experts, not deniers,” Hermann said. 

To view the full tender document, click here.

Issued by Connie Mulder, Head: Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), 11 August 2022