Last month we warned that the public spat between business and Eskom over the utility’s unbundling served no purpose and implored both parties to come together to iron out the points of contention. Thankfully, it looks like common sense prevailed and they did just that.Monday’s joint announcement by Eskom and Business Leadership South Africa that a direct engagement, initiated by the power utility’s chair, Mteto Nyati, had produced agreement on the broad shape of the country’s electricity reform programme is evidence of the cool heads we called for to resolve differences.Both organisations supported the creation of an independent transmission system operator, and importantly, business has taken on board Eskom’s concern that its financial sustainability must not be imperilled in the process.Ultimately, this crucial step forward in the reform of the electricity sector must deliver sustainable power supply at an affordable price to businesses and households that are groaning under the weight of high tariffs.To his credit, electricity and energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has acknowledged that tariffs that have soared more than six times the rate of inflation since 2007 are a serious barrier to economic growth and we hope the recently published draft electricity pricing policy will get us to the transparent tariff path it promises.Concerning, however, is that these conversations between business and Eskom seem to have left out labour, a crucial cog in the system that must ensure that we never see a return to the load-shedding that nearly brought the economy to its knees.As things stand, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it will take the legal route against Eskom’s restructuring — which it argues is a step towards privatisation and would result in job losses — going as far as the Constitutional Court if necessary. The union has also threatened strikes in the mining and energy sectors where it organises.NUM said electricity is a strategic national asset and the government must halt all steps towards market liberalisation “until a comprehensive social pact is reached with labour and key stakeholders”.In his weekly newsletter on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he had recently held separate discussions with both the Eskom chair and NUM’s leadership “because a transformation of this scale can only succeed if it is undertaken transparently and in consultation with those who will be affected by it”.“In my engagement with the chair representing the Eskom board, I reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the electricity reform programme and emphasised that it will be implemented carefully and responsibly,” Ramaphosa wrote. “In my discussions with the National Union of Mineworkers, I emphasised that Eskom and the Transmission System Operator will remain state-owned and that the interests of workers will be protected throughout the restructuring process.” We would argue that while there is merit in one-on-one conversations to drown out the noise of a wider debate, at some point all parties must come into the same room to thrash it all out.Business and Eskom this week illustrated that compromise is possible with dialogue, even from a starting point of disconnect.Mining companies whose viability — alongside other energy-dependent industries — is already under threat from punitive costs can certainly not afford operations coming to a halt because of the withdrawal of labour.Once again, we implore all concerned to smoke the peace pipe for the common good.Business Day