Cape Town - Irate strikers on Wednesday told Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi to "Rest in Peace with her 7.25%".

The government earlier on Wednesday accepted the negotiators' 7.25% package they proposed over the weekend. Unions already then rejected the offer saying they will not budge from their demand for a 10% across-the-board wage hike.

Fraser-Moleketi's spokesperson Lewis Rabkin said in a statement on Wednesday: "Recognising that we are 13 days into industrial action, and further recognising the toll that this is taking on all sectors of society, we... felt it incumbent upon us to accede to the proposal."

He said the proposal imposed a serious burden on the employer because it required extending the total package and committing funds beyond those in the medium term expenditure framework.

But unions were adamant that they would not accept anything less than 10%. Their discontent with the offer was evident in a makeshift coffin with a black and white picture of Fraser-Moleketi adorning the top, reading: "RIP Geraldine. RIP met jou 7.25% (Rest in Peace with your 7.25%)."

Striking at Mbeki

Cosatu general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, told thousands of strikers "we're not moving back".

"The 7.25% is an insult. It has been 13 days (of striking). If necessary, they (government) will see 30 more days. We are not moving back," Vavi said.

One teacher challenged the public service and administration minister to swap her pay with the educators and "see if she can survive".

"We taught the MPs to hold pens and calculate," the teacher from Nobantu Primary, Gugulethu said in frustration.

Vavi also lashed out at President Thabo Mbeki  for saying that the country's economic growth is breaking historical records.

"We want (Mbeki) to walk more on the paths in our cities and rural areas. He will know, as workers we have nothing to celebrate."

Ultimatum

Meanwhile, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights union has threatened to join the strike if the unions' demands are not met and have given government a deadline of five days.

Unions also demanded that the government reinstate employees they fired for striking.

They warned that all government services including schools and hospitals would be closed from Wednesday if their demands were not met.