The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said on Friday that it would take the latest wage offer made by power utility Eskom to its members for ratification. 

This, as Numsa, together with other trade unions, met with the management team of Eskom on Thursday under the auspices of the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in a bid to finalise the protracted wage talks and settle the dispute. 

Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said that Eskom had made a proposal which they have sent to their members for them to consider. 

"We will not share the details of the offer with the media because we want to give our members space to make up their own minds on whether to accept or reject the offer," Jim said. 

"If our members are happy with the latest proposal, then we can sign the agreement. We have arranged general meetings at different plants all over the country over the next few days to discuss the proposal in detail with our members." 

Eskom will be meeting again on Wednesday with the union to get their response to the offer. 

Meanwhile, trade union Solidarity said on Thursday it had accepted the latest three-year wage offer from Eskom. Solidarity accepted a salary increase of 7.5% this year and 7% next year and the year after, plus an inflation-linked increase in housing allowances and a one-off cash payment of R5,000, the union, which represents mostly white skilled workers, said.