Thirty minutes before an arranged meeting with labour minister Mildred Oliphant transportation giants Translux and City-to-City have reached a wage agreement.

According to union sources‚ the agreement is for an 8.5 percent salary increase for all drivers.

This is below the 9% offer made by employers on Wednesday‚ and which agitated unions who called the offer a “disgrace”.

Mildred was brought in as an “independent party” to mediate talks on Friday at OR Tambo international airport‚ after they “broke down” on Wednesday when negotiations became “hostile”.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (numsa)‚ the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union(Satawu)‚ and the Transport and Allied Workers Union had originally called for a 12% increase across the board.

Satawu spokesperson Zanele Sabela said that it was “unfortunate” that the Prasa-owned bus companies had undercut the wage negotiations by reaching an agreement with bosses.

“The agreement was made at shop level‚ and it still needs to be ratified by union leadership‚” she said.

Translux buses filled with passengers had already started leaving Johannesburg’s Park Station barely an hour after the agreement was made.

Numsa released a statement shortly after the agreement reiterating that only their secretary general could sign an agreement on behalf of the union.

"The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa wishes to place it on the record that we have not signed agreements with any employers in the bus passenger sector. We only negotiate through the Bargaining Council‚" said Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi.

"However‚ we look forward to our engagement with the Minister of Labour and the employers today. We hope for a speedy resolution to the dispute‚" she said.

TMG Digital/TimesLIVE