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Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and employers of petrol attendants and vehicle industry workers would meet for discussions on Wednesday morning amid the ongoing wage-related strike.
Workers have been on strike for over three weeks.
They are demanding an across-the-board increase of R30 an hour by 2016 on actual rates of pay in all sectors and divisions for workers earning above R6 000 a month.
Employers have offered a 7.5% increase, which the union has rejected.
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant intervened on Monday and met Numsa and employers.
On Wednesday, Fuel Retailers' Association (FRA) CEO Reggie Sibiya said the meeting went very well and expressed optimism about the latest round of talks.
"We are optimistic that all the parties have taken heed of the minister's call for leadership, and to be responsible in terms of the decision that affects the employees. We have always been supporting that call and we are hopeful that today [Wednesday] we should be able to come close to concluding the agreement," he said.
Numsa national treasurer Mphumzi Maqungo said he hoped employers would present them with an acceptable offer.
"In the light that we have met with the minister, we hope that the employers will come back with a full mandate and present something we can accept," he said.
He could not say whether the strike was coming to an end.
"I cannot say when it will end. After the meeting, we shall be consulting with our members and relaying what we get at the meeting," he said.
