Four mining companies, AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony, Sibanye-Stillwater and Village Main Reef, had provided offers to the unions last week, with talks continuing Wednesday.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said last week it was not happy with the offers, but would take them to its members, while the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), Solidarity and UASA did the same.

The gold mining companies, represented by Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA), said they were disappointed by all four unions rejecting their offers, which were "credible … especially when taking the current inflation rate (4.6%) and the state of the sector into consideration".

The offers ranged from 5.5-6.5% for category four underground employees, and 3-4.5% for miners and artisans and officials.

The NUM decsribed the offers as "insulting" and demanded the companies improve on them.

The union said it refused to shift or drop any of its initial demands, including R9,500 (US$723) for surface workers, R10,500 for underground workers and a 15% increase for miners, artisans and official. 

"We are unfortunately rejecting with contempt so the offers from these arrogant employers negotiating under the auspice of MCSA," the NUM said.

MCSA chief negotiator Motsamai Motlhamme said they appreciated union leaders had to "bear the weight of enormous expectations [from their members] on their shoulders", but negotiations were a "two-way street".

"The companies urge the unions to narrow their demands, particularly non-wage demands, so that the companies in turn can focus on improving wages within the context of affordability," he said.

"They ask the unions to consider the gold industry's precarious position and economic realities. The ball is back in the unions' court, and we hope that we will engage constructively when we meet again, so that we can move forward."

The wage negotiations were set to continue on August 1.