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Cape Town - On his last day at Eskom, outgoing chief financial officer Paul O’Flaherty lambasted the local construction industry.
O’Flaherty has been leading the power utility's actions to get the Medupi power plant build programme back on track, dealing with contractors on the site including ANC-linked Hitachi and French giant Alstom.
“Our construction industry is in real trouble in this country because we’ve lost the ability to manage and supervise the labour force.
"Yes, of course Eskom is completely accountable to its build programme but we know where we need to improve and we are working on it.”
O’Flaherty said the same cannot necessarily be said of the construction sector.
“There’s so many things that need work, the way people are set up on site. The way labour is trained, treated, supervised is not acceptable.”
He said Eskom has had to step in and establish a partnering agreement on its construction sites with the construction companies to address labour issues.
“Part of what needs to be addressed is to have minimum wage(s) and better conditions on our sites (and) also training facilities. Significant work is required in the industry to make it more productive and more efficient,” O’Flaherty said.
Wednesday is his last day at Eskom.
Eskom treasurer Caroline Henry has been appointed acting CFO. Group executive technology and commercial Dan Marokane has been appointed acting head of Group Capital, in charge of the capital build programme.
- Fin24
*Follow James-Brent Styan on Twitter at @jamesstyan.
O’Flaherty has been leading the power utility's actions to get the Medupi power plant build programme back on track, dealing with contractors on the site including ANC-linked Hitachi and French giant Alstom.
“Our construction industry is in real trouble in this country because we’ve lost the ability to manage and supervise the labour force.
"Yes, of course Eskom is completely accountable to its build programme but we know where we need to improve and we are working on it.”
O’Flaherty said the same cannot necessarily be said of the construction sector.
“There’s so many things that need work, the way people are set up on site. The way labour is trained, treated, supervised is not acceptable.”
He said Eskom has had to step in and establish a partnering agreement on its construction sites with the construction companies to address labour issues.
“Part of what needs to be addressed is to have minimum wage(s) and better conditions on our sites (and) also training facilities. Significant work is required in the industry to make it more productive and more efficient,” O’Flaherty said.
Wednesday is his last day at Eskom.
Eskom treasurer Caroline Henry has been appointed acting CFO. Group executive technology and commercial Dan Marokane has been appointed acting head of Group Capital, in charge of the capital build programme.
- Fin24
*Follow James-Brent Styan on Twitter at @jamesstyan.
