Strike over wages increase
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Nearly 800,000 South African government employees, representing 62% of the public sector workforce, have gone on strike starting Tuesday.

The employees are demanding pay increases of at least 6.5% or an amount tied to consumer inflation.

The protest action was organized by public service unions affiliated with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the South Africa Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), and the Federation of Trade Unions of South Africa(FEDUSA).

The strikes come just before the governing African National Congress (ANC) is set to have its elective conference next month.

Tuesday's "National Day of Action" was a response to the government's rejection of trade unions' demands for a 10% pay increase for public servants. The government said the increase was unaffordable and would exceed its current budget for public servant remuneration.

The country's largest trade union federation, COSATU, and other federations representing the majority of public sector workers told a news conference that they would continue to protest until the government enhances its 3% salary increase offer.

A nationwide protest was held at National Treasury offices in Pretoria, as well as other government buildings and facilities across South Africa.

Schools, hospitals, border posts, home affairs offices, police stations, prisons, transport activities, and state offices are among the sectors that will be hit by the protest.

At a press conference last week, a spokesperson for COSATU and other public sector unions said that the government has failed to address the needs of workers and the poor as the cost of living continues to rise.

"The unilateral implementation gives us, the unions, no reason to engage with the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council. We are no longer just fighting for a decent wage; we are fighting to keep the right to bargain in the face of continuous efforts by the government to undermine bargaining," said the spokesperson.

Last week, in the latest attempt to avert a nationwide strike, the government made a final offer of an effective 7.5% wage increase.

Thulas Nxesi, acting Public Service and Administration minister said that the proposed offer included a 3% salary increase and an R1,000 cash allowance - amounting to a 4.5% increase for the lowest-paid workers.

However, in a joint statement, COSATU, FEDUSA, and SAFTU slammed the government's latest wage offer of 7.5%, describing it as "misleading". The unions have accused the government of presenting the same offer, but differently, to make it seem more attractive.