Two unions representing Eskom employees have in principle agreed to the power company’s revised pay hike offer.

But the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have yet to sign the deal.

Stop-start wage talks have been dragging on for months now.

The utility’s Khulu Phasiwe says that according to the latest wage offer, workers will receive 7.5% pay increase this year, and a further a further 7% hike for the next two years.

“In principle, they have accepted the offer put on the table.”

In addition to this, staff will get a once-off R10,000 payment. But they’re saying they won’t sign it until there’s a commitment that there won’t be disciplinary action against members who embarked on industrial action which was illegal. That’s what we’re sitting with at the moment.”

NUM and Numsa are, however, at loggerheads with the parastatal over its decision to charge its members for unlawful strike action.