Medupi is also nearing its completion and approximately 2 600 Construction workforce is forecasted for demobilisation

Community Alerts/Andries Mocheko/Limpopo-Lephalale/23/03/18

The Medupi power station project; Approximately. 15 km west of Marapong township, Lephalale town and Leseding village in Limpopo province; having commenced in 2007 has reached 80% of its Construction activities with 20% out-stand works scheduled for Completion in 2020.

At its peak, Medupi Power station had 18000 Construction workers- 40% being from the Limpopo province, 95% being South Africans and approximately 60% of the workforce being youth- and currently sitting at just over 14 000 Construction employees. Aside from direct job creation Eskom and its Contractors have placed contracts for supporting services with numerous suppliers that have created about 2 000 additional supporting jobs besides construction workforce

The decrease in number is result of a demobilization process, which the project is undertaking due to completion of certain Construction activities resulting in certain skills no longer being required.

Like any other projects that has a defined start and end date, Medupi is also nearing its completion. Based on that, approximately 2 600 Construction workforce is forecasted for demobilization in in the next three months with 1381 at the end of March, 948 at the end of April and 292 at the end of May. At project completion, all construction related employees will be demobilized and running power station remain with the resources responsible for operating the plant.

It should be noted that demobilization is when the contractor or seconded employee’s contract comes to the end due to the completion of the task the employee was employed for. Therefore, mistaken for retrenchment.

Medupi Power station started its Demob/ Retrenchment Monday this week after our local people at Medupi power station receive SMS on 18/03/2018 while enjoying weekend, that they must not report at work on Monday 19/03/2018. They MST report at Lephalale town a place call Mogol Club. By Andries Mocheko