Minerals Council warns of jobs bloodbath due to Eskom tariff hikes and carbon tax
More than 100,000 jobs are under threat over the next three years, with gold and platinum set to be hit hardest
Nearly a quarter of SA’s mining jobs will be lost because of the additional costs coming from increased electricity tariffs over the next three years as well as the financial burden of the carbon tax. The consequences of the tariff increases, which start at 9.4% in the first year, on the gold and platinum mines will be the loss of more than 90,000 jobs at the end of three years, said Minerals Council of SA chief economist Henk Langenhoven at a briefing on Monday, pointing out this was lower than the 150,000 if Eskom had succeeded with its application for 15% tariff increases. Roger Baxter, CEO of the council, which represents more than 90% of SA’s mineral production by value, used the word “disaster” for the first time in relation to the ongoing difficulties at state-owned Eskom in supplying industry with electricity and the apparent inability to find a sustainable resolution to the problem. Eskom, which supplies more than 90% of SA’s electricity, has battled to meet demand due to u...
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