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The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) is facilitating a meeting on Saturday between South African Airways (SAA) management and the two unions involved in a crippling strike at the airline.

The South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) are demanding an 8% salary hike, while SAA is offering 5.9%.

RELATED: CCMA set to mediate meeting between unions and SAA as strike continues

Sacca deputy president Christopher Shabangu says the union would be prepared to lower its demand to 6% if the "corrupt" SAA board resigns with immediate effect.

What kind of leadership do we have at SAA? We're asking for the board to leave.

— Christopher Shabangu, Deputy president - South African Cabin Crew Association

I doubt if they (the board) would. I mean we're really threatening their gravy train, but we will table it today.

— Christopher Shabangu, Deputy president - South African Cabin Crew Association

If they resign today I can tell you we're willing to go down 2%... If the board were to resign immediately, I myself would even take 5.9%

— Christopher Shabangu, Deputy president - South African Cabin Crew Association

Shabangu maintains that the SAA board is set on "killing" the airline, perhaps for privatisation purposes, while the union is proposing ways for it to start making money "immediately", partly through insourcing contracts.

You have got evergreen contracts costing you millions - deal with those.

— Christopher Shabangu, Deputy president - South African Cabin Crew Association

Listen to the conversation with Shabangu in the audio below:

This article first appeared on CapeTalk : If 'corrupt' SAA board resigns Sacca will lower salary rise demand to 6%