Pretoria - Public Service and Administration Minister, Richard Baloyi, has welcomed the move by unions involved in the public service strike to suspend their industrial action while negotiations over a final settlement continue.
Unions involved in the strike action agreed on Monday that public sector employees would return to work, while consultation on government's last offer was being finalised.
The last offer made by government includes a 7.5 percent salary increment and a R800 monthly housing allowance. Unions have demanded an 8.6 percent increase and a R1000 housing allowance.
"The return to work is a welcome development for the public service and the country in general.
"In the spirit of Working Together, we urge those who are returning to the workplace to ensure that we deliver the services that are so sorely needed by all communities across our country," Baloyi said in a statement.
He said the government remained optimistic that a final position of the unions will soon remove the cloud of doubt and uncertainty that continues to engulf the nation.
"Consultations with labour will continue as government and South Africans at large want to see this impasse resolved as quickly as possible so that service delivery can be accelerated," the minister said.
