UPDATE 3-Zuma tough on unions, Eskom strike threat fades

* Zuma tough on unions, says helping poor still priority

* Final responses to Eskom offer by Wednesday

* Threat of strike appears to be fading

(Adds Zuma quote, details, background)

By James Macharia

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 11 (Reuters) - South African President Jacob Zuma took a tough line on unions on Tuesday, saying there was no "pandering" to labour after the threat of a strike by workers at state power utility Eskom [ESCJ.UL] appeared to fade.

Unions which helped Zuma rise to power want him to spend more on the poor, a policy that would be economically risky during the country's first recession since 1992.

His remarks during a dial-in show on South Africa's METRO FM radio appeared aimed at easing concerns that he would change economic policies to please organised labour.

"There is no pandering to the unions," said Zuma.

Most workers at Eskom appear ready to accept a pay offer from the utility that would avert a potentially crippling strike, union officials said.

Asked if he felt indebted to unions, Zuma said: "Not at all."

The main union involved in talks said that about 60 percent of the votes counted so far from its ballot were in favour of Eskom's 10.5 percent wage offer. One of the other unions gave a similar estimate for its own vote count.

But both unions said acceptance was on condition that a firmer deal for a housing allowance be reached at a meeting with Eskom on Wednesday. The unions expect a final tally of votes before the meeting starts.

The threat of power cuts at mines helped drive up the price of platinum XPT= last week and to push the rand ZAR=D3 to a three-week low as investors feared power cuts would harm an economy in recession.

"So far 60 percent say we should accept the offer and not go on strike, even though we do not have responses from two key areas," National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) chief negotiator Paris Mashego told Reuters.

"As leaders we are pushing for acceptance of the offer."