News South African news
Public service trade unions were on Tuesday evening gathering reports on whether their members have accepted or rejected the government's new wage offer.
"We haven't even received any provincial reports. We should have an idea this afternoon," National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) spokesman Sizwe Phamla said. He said he had learned some SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) members had rejected the offer.
"The problem is you can't reject something that hasn't been properly explained to you. We want a middle-ground kind of an arrangement. You can't listen to the news and say that you reject the offer."
The 245 000-strong Nehawu said it was "encouraged" by the new offer of a 7.5 percent salary increase and R800 monthly housing allowance.
Phamla said the government's new offer also included setting up a housing scheme for its workers. This, he said, was "a resolution that we're willing to consider".
"We'll make that announcement tomorrow. If for example two of the nine provinces reject [the offer], and say seven accept, that means we accept the offer."
Meanwhile Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said the union would know the "verdict" by 10am this morning. "The process is still going on, we will know tomorrow," he said, denying Phamla's claim that some of his union's provinces had rejected the offer.
The unions wanted an 8.6 percent increase and R1000 monthly housing allowance, and had rejected the government's previous offer of a seven percent increase and a R700 allowance. The strike has severely affected hospitals and schools, with several provinces postponing preliminary matric exams.
The SA National Defence Force has had to help out at 61 state hospitals.
