Johannesburg - The trade union Solidarity is demanding a probe into claims that Eskom has appointed black foreigners to meet affirmative action targets.
"Some of these employees are convinced that they were only recruited because of their skin colour and to help Eskom reach its affirmative action targets," Solidarity said in a statement.
"They also claim that if they had known that that was the reason for their recruitment they would not have accepted the offer," it said.
The claims were made in a broadcast on the M-Net actuality programme, Carte Blanche.
Eskom on Monday responded that the intention of its international recruitment programme was to search for those skills that were required to meet Eskom's mandate, but were difficult to find in South Africa.
"The primary objective of the programme was to bring skilled South Africans working abroad back to South Africa, but where this was impossible, those from the rest of Africa and beyond would also be contracted," it said.
Solidarity said Eskom indicated a few years ago that it planned to recruit nearly 5 000 employees - half of them black women - over five years.
The trade union now wants Eskom to give it details of all the foreign employees it has appointed.
"South Africa has extremely capable people with years of experience at Eskom, but who have lost their jobs there since 1994," said Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans.
"By blindly chasing after targets and importing black employees simply because of their skin colour, Eskom is taking things too far. "Not only were the employees lured to the company under false pretences, but Eskom also tried to reach targets in an illegal manner by simply appointing black employees to the positions.
"This approach does not benefit any South African, black or white, and the company should rather look at developing local expertise," he said.
Kleynhans charged that Eskom's attempt to reach affirmative action targets had "completely destroyed" the company's efficiency.
"If suitable, local black employees cannot be found to fill the positions, Eskom cannot ignore suitable white employees.
"After all, the original purpose of affirmative action is in no way achieved by appointing black foreigners and an urgent investigation should be launched into Eskom's affirmative action appointments to determine who, by right, qualifies for the positions because the jobs were actually earmarked for local employees," he said.
- Sapa