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| Unions warn of SA general strike | Unions warn of SA general strike |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| South Africa's trade unions have warned they will call a general strike next week, unless the government improves its pay offer to civil servants. | South Africa's trade unions have warned they will call a general strike next week, unless the government improves its pay offer to civil servants. |
| Most of the country's schools and hospitals have been closed for more than a week as some 500,000 public workers have been on strike. | Most of the country's schools and hospitals have been closed for more than a week as some 500,000 public workers have been on strike. |
| Police have again fired rubber bullets at workers trying to enforce the strike, injuring three people. | |
| Unions wants a 12% pay rise, while the government has offered 6.5%. | Unions wants a 12% pay rise, while the government has offered 6.5%. |
| Inflation has risen to 7%, so unions say anything less is an effective pay cut. | Inflation has risen to 7%, so unions say anything less is an effective pay cut. |
| "Cosatu [Congress of South African Trade Unions] will not allow a defeat of the public sector strike. The implications of such a defeat to workers as a whole would be devastating," the union federation said. | "Cosatu [Congress of South African Trade Unions] will not allow a defeat of the public sector strike. The implications of such a defeat to workers as a whole would be devastating," the union federation said. |
| It said all workers, such as those in the crucial mining and manufacturing sectors will go on a "solidarity strike" starting on Monday and building up to a "complete strike" next Wednesday. | It said all workers, such as those in the crucial mining and manufacturing sectors will go on a "solidarity strike" starting on Monday and building up to a "complete strike" next Wednesday. |
| Mining, especially gold, is one of South Africa's major export earners. | Mining, especially gold, is one of South Africa's major export earners. |
| Violence and intimidation | Violence and intimidation |
| Army medical staff have been brought in to provide care in some hospitals to try and cover what analysts say is one of the biggest strikes in the country's history. | Army medical staff have been brought in to provide care in some hospitals to try and cover what analysts say is one of the biggest strikes in the country's history. |
| The military has been helping out in South African hospitals | The military has been helping out in South African hospitals |
| The BBC's Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says the strike has been marked by violence and intimidation with more than 20 arrests in Durban. | The BBC's Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says the strike has been marked by violence and intimidation with more than 20 arrests in Durban. |
| Some school principals have received death threats, while the government is threatening to deploy the army. | Some school principals have received death threats, while the government is threatening to deploy the army. |
| The government has increased its offer from 6%, but unions look set to formally reject this later on Friday, our correspondent says. | |
| Striking nurses had been warned they would be fired unless they return to work by Monday. | Striking nurses had been warned they would be fired unless they return to work by Monday. |
| South Africa has seen many qualified health professionals leaving the country for greener pastures abroad in recent years. | South Africa has seen many qualified health professionals leaving the country for greener pastures abroad in recent years. |
| Cosatu is officially a partner in government but it has criticised the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for not doing enough to raise living standards of the poor. | Cosatu is officially a partner in government but it has criticised the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for not doing enough to raise living standards of the poor. |
| The ANC is due to choose a new leader later in the year to succeed President Thabo Mbeki. | The ANC is due to choose a new leader later in the year to succeed President Thabo Mbeki. |