Power utility Eskom says it will soon launch a new digital crowdsourcing platform to allow it to supplement its existing skills base to help address its operational challenges.
The platform will act as a skills database for Eskom to acquire additional expertise and to resolve its urgent business needs, it said.
“The crowdsourcing initiative will also leverage partnerships with statutory and non-statutory bodies such as the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and others to ensure that Eskom can access the best candidates in the electricity supply industry, engineering and technical professions.”
Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining information or input into a task or project by enlisting the services of a large number of people, either paid or unpaid, typically via a digital platform.
“Since South Africa has a pool of skilled persons, crowdsourcing of these skills may offer a unique opportunity for available and willing citizens to support Eskom in resolving its business challenges,” the power utility said.
This crowdsourcing opportunity has been prompted by several offers and submissions received from organisations and individuals, including experienced engineers and technical experts, who have indicated that they could potentially assist Eskom.
“In order for Eskom to reap the highest benefit from this diversity of skills, it must also develop a governance mechanism and a platform that will provide equitable opportunity to all those willing to be considered for service,” the group said.
“The process will be driven by the needs of Eskom and will follow a standard governance process for fixed-term contracting.”
Interested individuals will be able to register on the digital platform to allow Eskom to access skills across the country.
Skills that would be required include but are not limited to:
- Mechanical;
- Nuclear;
- Electrical;
- System and maintenance skills;
- Senior artisans ;
- Plant operators for coal and nuclear power stations.
The move comes as the power utility is once again deep into another round of load shedding, with stage 4 load shedding continuing on Friday (16 September) and then hopefully downgrading to lower stages for the weekend.
Speaking in a media briefing on Monday (12 September), Eskom chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer said that maintenance of power stations remains a big issue for the group, as it is not seeing the outcomes it expected when units are taken offline for repair.
He said that as soon as some units are returned to operation following maintenance, they break down again soon after. He attributed the maintenance problems to a lack of appropriate skills and experience needed to address the issues.
Eskom is facing maintenance issues with milling plants, high-pressure valves, cooling water systems, conveyors, and water treatment plans – among others.
The utlity and the Department of Public Enterprises previous put out a call to draw skilled engineers to the country. It prompted unions like Solidarity to submit lists of hundreds of engineers who were forced out of the job over the years.
Eskom said it had received an overwhelming response to the call.
“A diverse cross-section of South Africans have sent enquiries and made themselves available to respond to the call to national service,” said Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter. “Eskom is in the process of matching the skills that have already been made available to its needs and will be recruiting the suitable candidates imminently.”
Read: Why load shedding is back this week – and things aren’t looking good
