NUMSA asks high court to force government to stop loadshedding in hospitals, clinics 

PHUTI MOSOMANE

THE largest single union in South Africa, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), has filed papers in the North Gauteng High Court to force government to stop loadshedding. 

NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim said the ANC-led government was not moving swiftly and decisively to stop the destructive rolling blackouts that are sabotaging the economy and people. 

Jim said the rolling blackouts have been bleeding the economy, destroying jobs and people’s livelihoods. So far it has cost the economy not less than R1.2 trillion from 2018 to 2022 excluding the current January crisis. 

Part of the reasons to go to court, NUMSA sad, was to ensure that the government does not continue to use the electricity crisis as a vehicle to enrich crony capitalists at the expense of the poor.

‘‘We condemn the board, the Eskom executive management and the shareholder which is the ANC government for