Over 200 South African workers, complaining of being underpaid at the new Redstone Concentrated Solar Power Thermal Plant in Postmansburg Northern Cape province, downed their tools ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa oversight visit on Thursday.
The striking workers said the contractor has been paying them US$1.70 an hour, while they were demanding $2.80 an hour rate.
Shop steward Kagisho Lekwene said the workers wanted the president to address their concerns which included allegations of racism at the plant.
“We are protesting because of the pay that we are getting from Redstone which is $1.70. We don’t accept that rate,” Lekwene said.
“We won’t back down until the Redstone people, the Aqua people, fix the rate because South African labour law gives them the rate of $2.44 minimum,” he said.
He added: “They are not paying us that money. They are paying us only $1.70 minimum. So, as workers, we are saying we won’t go back to work until they fix this thing.”
According to the presidency, the Redstone Thermal Solar Plant project is part of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme.
The project forms part of the South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme which aims to bring additional megawatts onto the country’s electricity system through private sector investment in wind, biomass and small hydro, among others.
NM/as/APA