National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is reportedly seeking a postponement in wage talks with state-run power utility Eskom on Tuesday until next week.
NUM is holding a national congress from Wednesday to Friday.
A source, who asked not to be named, also said that the union is now open to pay increases linked to inflation plus a certain percentage instead of its initial demand of 15%.
South Africa has suffered power outages because of what Eskom has said was “illegal protest action” by the NUM and other unions.
There were expectations that wage talks would resume on Tuesday after Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said late on Friday that Eskom would make a pay offer after initially saying it could not afford any increases.
Meanwhile, the union has refuted claims that they will seek to postpone wage talks with Eskom.
The union’s spokesperson, Livhuwani Mamburu, says negotiations will resume on Tuesday in Woodmead, Johannesburg.
“What I can confirm on record definitely Eskom wage negotiations will resume tomorrow at Cedar Wood Park in Woodmead. But as NUM we can confirm that we have congress that is starting on Wednesday, so all the NUM leaders or wage negotiators will be there,” says Mamburu.
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