Construction strike over: Num

A three-week strike in the construction sector has come to an end, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Friday.

On Thursday, the SA Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) agreed to grant workers in the sector increments of up to 12 percent, spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said in a statement.

"The construction companies had earlier entered into a wage agreement with the Building, Construction and Allied Workers Union (BCAWU) for an increase of between eight and 10 percent which the NUM rejected," he said.

Seshoka said all workers in the sector would receive the higher increase negotiated by NUM.

"This [agreement] will override the agreement reached with BCAWU because NUM is the majority union in the sector."

He dismissed Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa's demands for R12 500 for entry level workers.

"The NUM has noted the empty rhetoric by [the] Amcu president who continues to promise workers milk and honey, R12 500, but delivers none.

"The workers should be able to see through the empty rhetoric that year in and year out, there are promises of R12 500 which he has never been able to deliver."

Comment was not immediately available from SAFCEC.