Strikes began last week and saw clashes between protesters and police [
South African civil servants are marching across the country over a wage dispute, with more than one million people expected to participate in strikes.
Labour unions planned the action on Thursday as part of continued pressure on the government to agree to improved pay terms and benefits.
Around 1.3 million state workers have been on strike since last Wednesday, picketing outside schools, hospitals and government offices.
A day after they began, the strikes became violent with police using rubber bullets and water cannons against teachers and other civil servants, who threw stones and bricks at them when trying to enter a hospital in Johannesburg.
The unions have set a deadline of September 2 for the government to provide a 8.6 per cent rise in salaries and a 1,000 rand ($138) monthly housing allowance, otherwise more state workers are slated to join the strikes.
Government 'worried'
The South African government is offering a seven per cent pay hike and 630 rand for housing.
Government services and the economy have already been disrupted by the strikes.
Themba Maseko, the government spokesman, said the strike had raised concern and efforts were being made to resolve it.
"We're obviously worried about the strike, especially the impact it is having on the lives of ordinary South Africans. We're actually at a point where our students are supposed to be writing their examinations in about 50 days' time," he told Al Jazeera.
"Many South Africans who are ill [and] need urgent medical treatment are being deprived of the opportunity to get that treatment. We also have a lot of South African citizens who want to volunteer their services by assisting hospitals; by assisting learners to prepare for their examininations and yet they are being prevented from doing so.
coppied by http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/08/20108265325707917.html
