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KwaDukuza and Group Five reach deal at Avon Peaking Power Plant

KwaDukuza and Group Five reach deal at Avon Peaking Power Plant

Date: 2015-11-20
The KwaDukuza Mayor in KwaZulu-Natal, Ricardo Mthembu, and an Executive Director of Group Five, Mr Willie Zeelie, jointly announced the official remobilisation and recommencement of construction activities at Avon Peaking Power plant. This follows the dismissal of after an unprotected strike, which halted construction activities for the last six weeks.

Messers Mthembu and Zeelie announced that an accord was reached following a rigorous, but constructive, consultation process, which resulted in around 70% of workers who were dismissed to be employed to complete the contract.

Mr Mthembu said, "This is good news for our Council, good news for the people of KwaDukuza and also for Group Five and all the relevant stakeholders who work with Group Five. It is not a matter of choice for us as a local authority to work to protect this facility, it is a matter of responsibility to create an investment-friendly environment for the sake of job creation, it is also our duty to protect private companies who provide these opportunities and as such we are happy that the project is back on track. This is a critically important project for this country and the international community due to the demand for power. This deal was concluded with a great deal of level-headedness and maturity from all parties putting the project first. We have secured about 500 jobs as a result of this project and this resolution is an important milestone for us."

Mr Zeelie said, "I am very pleased to announce the re-mobilisation of the site and to confirm that with the assistance of the ward councillors, the re-employment process is running very smoothly and that our people on site are working and very happy to be back. Our discussions were focused on finding solutions. We had constructive round-table debates with the leadership of KwaDukuza Municipality and were able to find an amicable solution. We thank the KwaDukuza Councillors and the Mayor for his leadership."

The Municipality was involved during the early stages of the project as the planning authority to grant the necessary town planning approval, as well as building plan approvals.