"The number of Sapo employees that have heeded the call to return to work... has increased sharply," said Simo Lushaba, head of the intervention team appointed by Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele and Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene.

"We are fast moving towards full capacity shortly. This demonstrates that our projections of returning the Sapo operations to full capacity in the near future are in sight."

He said 52 percent of employees had returned to work since the wage agreement with unions had been signed last week.

On Friday, Lushaba announced that a wage agreement had been reached with two of three recognised unions at Sapo.

The two unions -- the SA Postal and Allied Workers' Union (Sapawu) and the Democratic Postal and Communications Union (Depacu) -- agreed to a 6.5 percent wage increase for the bargaining unit, which would be effective on December 1.

Sapawu and Depacu represented 61 percent of employees at bargaining level.

Part of the agreement involved converting part-time and casual employees to full-time employees from December 1, with full benefits becoming effective on April 1, 2015. The full conversion would be completed within 24 months.

Lushaba said the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents 39 percent of the employees, had stuck to its demand of a 7.5 percent increase.