"It's definitely been postponed to May 1," said United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) general secretary Chris de Vos.

Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin on Thursday helped unions to persuade Transnet to delay the move.

This will allow the company and unions to attempt to resolve the fate of workers' pensions and other issues.

"In principle we agree [to the transfer of Metrorail and other business units out of Transnet]," United Association of SA (Uasa) spokesperson Gerhard Ueckerman said on Friday.

"We are not trying to be difficult, we're just trying to protect our members."

Negotiations between the parties fell apart at the weekend when Transnet management announced it had signed a sale agreement with the Department of Transport's SA Rail Commuter Corporation effective from April 1.

SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) president Ezrom Mabyana told Transnet chief executive Maria Ramos on Monday it was disturbing that the sale agreement had been signed.

"How can you, Maria, sign an agreement we know nothing of and that we have not agreed to? We sent six to eight memoranda to your office without getting any response.

Now we want answers," he said.

Erwin's spokesperson Gaynor Kast said delaying Metrorail's sale was made in consultation with Transnet.

"This whole process has always been in consultation with Transnet."

She said unions would meet representatives from the departments of public enterprises, transport, and finance this afternoon.

They would be presented with proposals on resolving the "more thorny" issues, including worries over pensions.

Kast described talks between Transnet and unions as "very amicable, very mature".

- Nampa-Sapa

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