The continued flight of highly skilled and experienced technical staff from State-owned power utility Eskom to the local private sector and overseas power utilities is concerning, but also flattering, says Stellenbosch University engineering dean Professor Wikus van Niekerk. “These engineers, which have been trained by quality universities, such as the universities of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Pretoria and the Witwatersrand, have obtained practical experience on various systems after working at Eskom for several years and are now sought after globally,” he adds.