20100806
reuters

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - More than a million South African public sector workers plan to strike on Tuesday and demonstrate throughout the country in what could be a prelude to prolonged industrial action in Africa's largest economy.

The government raised its pay offer to civil servants on Thursday to try to avert the strike, but it was quickly rejected by the unions.

"More than 1.3 million public servants will on Tuesday take part in marches and demonstrations right through the country leading to a total shutdown of the public service," the largest umbrella labour group, COSATU, said in a statement.

"There is a very strong possibility that by the end of the week, we will be embarking on a larger strike," said Sizwe Pamla, spokesman for NEHAWU, one of the COSATU unions.

Analysts expect more sparring in the coming days but say a deal tilted in the unions' favour will be reached to head off a repeat of the mass action by civil servants three years ago that damaged the economy.

Workers who have threatened to strike include customs and immigration officers, police, health care staff and teachers.

The ruling African National Congress has a longstanding alliance with organised labour forged in their struggle to end apartheid and has almost always bowed to union demands.

President Jacob Zuma, who relied on organised labour to rise to the country's highest post, will be under pressure to find a solution that satisfies unions or he could face a backlash at the ANC's policy-setting meeting in September, which is one of the party's most important events.