S. Africa warns it will impose pay Offer as Strike Worsens

Tensions between the South African government and the public sector increased dramatically Aug. 19 after striking protesters clashed with police and the state indicated it would force its final offer of a 7 percent wage increase on workers, Rubber bullets and water cannon were used against public sector workers who were protesting outside a number of hospitals in Johannesburg, with both sides blaming each other for the escalation of violence that led to at least seven strikers being hospitalized.

On Aug. 17, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the country’s largest union federation, had called on 1.3 million members to go on indefinite strike to try to force the government to meet their demands of an 8.6 percent pay increase and a monthly housing allowance of 100 euros ( $127)  “The South Africa National Defence Force has been instructed to render support to any government department that may require assistance during the public service strike,” said a Defence Ministry spokesman.

Despite the intensified strike, the government repeated it could not afford to raise its wage increase offer. It also warned unions it would force workers to accept its offer in 21 days. In an effort to resolve the situation, the South African Human Rights Commision called on President Jacob Zima to intervene in the negotiations and added that both sides should put the interests of the country first.