Johannesburg — As over 1 million workers stayed away from work on Wednesday; courts, school, hospitals and other government institutions remained empty.
Productivity at almost all government institutions was effected today as an indefinite national strike in the public sector got underway.
Schools, courts, hospitals, home affairs offices all reportedly operated at stunted levels of efficiency as workers either stayed away from work or picketed outside their respective offices.
Those striking are pressing for better wages, saying their patience with the government has run out after unions representing public servants rejected the State's 7% salary increase and R700 housing allowance offer.
Their members were demanding an 8.6% increase with a housing allowance of R1000.
At some points around the country industrial action turned ugly as incidents of intimidation were reported.
Members of the National Health and Allied Workers' Union that work at Natalspruit Hospital in Thokoza prevented non-striking workers and patients from entering hospital premises. When pressed to let patients in need of immediate care into the hospital, strikers are alleged to have said that a few deaths will force government's hand in negotiations.
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Elsewhere, high profile cases at the country's courts were either postponed or stifled due to the industrial action.
Stenographers and interpreters in the Brett Kebble murder case downed tools at the South Gauteng high court and forced the case to be postponed until further notice.
At the Johannesburg magistrate's court the bail application of one of the five men accused of shooting Rwandan Lieutenant-General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa was on Wednesday postponed to August 25.
Outside, striking court workers clad in red National Health and Allied Workers' Union t-shirts and bandanas protested.
Schools were also under pressure with thousands of teachers remaining away from the classroom. Some schools in the South of Johannesburg including Lenasia and Soweto were closed.
In response, the Gauteng department of education have announced that it will implement study groups to continue learning during the public sector strike.
"Under these conditions, the best way to learn is to establish voluntary study groups where learners can help each other go through past papers and study notes," said provincial MEC for education Barbara Creecy at a media briefing in Johannesburg.
Creecy said the department had printed 40,000 sets of study material to use.
The department is also distributing self explanatory guidelines on how to set up study groups.
The department is appealing for parents, community members and community organisations to volunteer their time to lead the study groups and assist learners.
"What we are trying to do is have a decentralised approach that emphasises community involvement."
Business organisations called for speedy resolution of a national public servants strike that started on Wednesday, as unionists declared that the stayaway would escalate.
The SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said it was with "great disappointment" that it noted no agreement had been reached between unions and the department of public service and administration.
"Sacci condemns the undisciplined behaviour of workers in particular instances, notably the intimidation by teachers of pupils attending schools, and by striking health workers of those who willingly report for work," the organisation said in a statement.
"Such behaviour will impact negatively on global perceptions of the business environment in South Africa." It said the strikes also added to pressures related to service delivery backlogs.
Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi told a press conference in Cape Town on Wednesday that government's capacity to afford salary and housing increases for striking public servants was "exhausted"
Baloyi said government's current offer has forced treasury to search for an extra R5-billion.
"As government, we have demonstrated for all to see that our capacity to afford is exhausted," Baloyi said.
"If you talk of an envelope we have not emptied it. We have broken it."
Baloyi encouraged unions and negotiators to come to an understanding by no later than Thursday.
"You can't push and demand your right at the expense of the rights of others." -- With SAPA
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