The government said its final offer tabled to unions is an effective 7.5% increase, which is expected to cost the fiscus R34 billion.

It comes a day after union federations Cosatu, Saftu and Fedusa announced a planned national stay away on Tuesday.

Unions are demanding a 10% baseline increase, citing rising inflation.

Public sector unions have slammed the government's announcement that it had increased its wage offer from 3% to 7.5%, calling the statement a blatant lie.

The Public Servants Association says had the statement been true, the unions would've accepted immediately and with no hesitation.

PSA spokesperson Reuben Maleka says this is so because the unions' settlement is 6.5%, one percentage point lower than the government's purported wage increase.

National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi says the government's statement is misleading.

He says that at this point, the national day of action is still going ahead on Tuesday next week.

eNCA