Construction halted at KZN power station
Construction at Eskom’s Ingula pumped storage scheme outside Ladysmith has come to a halt following a dispute between a contractor and its employees.
Ingula is one of three major power stations under construction, aimed at increasing the country's power grid.
Workers downed tools on Monday demanding an underground allowance. Talks then followed, but these collapsed yesterday.
The site has since been completely shut down.
It is believed workers were dismissed after making their demands.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) says the allowance is from 2012.
The union's Owen Dlamini says they have had talks with the utility.
''Yesterday we met and had negotiations with the utility, after the employees had engaged in an unprotected strike.
''We are now waiting on the parastatal to finalise the agreement. All operations had to be suspended this week,'' he said.
Eskom says both parties have been granted a cooling off period.
In 2013, six contract workers were killed in a tunnel collapse at the province's construction site.
(Photo: www.eskom.co.za)