Cape Town — Striking public service workers have threatened to ensure a complete shutdown of public services.

"We will totally shut down public services on Friday... The government has not been taking us (the workers) seriously," the deputy chairperson of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union in the Western Cape, Fundiswa Qongqo, told the Cape Argus today.

Qongqo said the shutdown was planned by all Cosatu affiliates within the public service sector. She said unions did not understand management's use of "intimidation tactics, threatening workers with dismissal" while they are on a legal strike.

Provincial health department spokeswomen Faiza Steyn said she was "unaware" of the plans for a complete shutdown.

She said the policy of the department remained that disciplinary action would be taken against striking workers, and the "no work, no pay" rule continued to apply.

Meanwhile, the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) has followed Cosatu's lead and rejected the government's latest offer of a 6.5% increase, saying they will continue to strike until a 12% offer is put on the table.

Yesterday, Naptosa members attending a mass meeting in the Oude Molen High School in Pinelands rejected the government's latest offer, calling it "pathetic".

Helene Sieborger, Naptosa provincial CEO, said: "They are not taking this seriously. They are not worried at all."

Sieborger accused the government of "riding this out. They are waiting to see if we will bend first." But, for the first time in the independent union's history, it was bent on an indefinite strike until demands were met.

Sieborger said they were aware that during any bargaining process not all demands were met and that unions must be willing to negotiate.

However, unions could not "even consider" negotiating with the state. Sieborger said the state was not even willing to meet the unions halfway.

Naptosa representative Sandy Smart slammed Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, accusing her of publicly making misleading statements and creating the impression it was willing to move on its offer while unions did not want to negotiate.

"The state's movement is not only minuscule but almost non-existent."

Smart said a 6.5% increase would not lift teachers high enough above the inflation rate.

The government is set to convene another round of negotiations tomorrow.

SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) provincial secretary Jonavon Rustin said this morning that their branches would continue picketing and that mass meetings were planned for Vredenburg and Riversdale to discuss a way forward. - Additional Reporting by Sapa