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JOHANNESBURG. — South Africa’s striking workers in the metal and engineering sector yesterday rejected a 10-percent pay rise offer from employers, vowing to continue the strike indefinitely.
As organiser of the strike, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) accused employers of holding to their “unreasonable demands”, forcing the workers to intensify the strike.

NUMSA is demanding a 12 percent increase across the board and housing allowance of 1,000 rand (about US$94). The union originally had demanded a 15-percent increase.

The strike is expected to deal a heavier blow to the country’s economy still reeling under a five-month platinum strike that ended on June 25.  —Xinhua.