The Public Servants Association said it was preparing for a strike as early as next week after rejecting the government’s 3% wage increase offer in the public wage negotiations. The 235 000 member-strong union said in a statement that it attended a meeting on Tuesday on the proposed draft picketing rules for a strike. The union will wait for the government to respond on picketing rules by Friday. The last major strike in the public sector was in 2010, affecting schools and other public services. After PSA declared a dispute, the government raised their offer from 2% to 3% and threw in continued payment of the cash gratuity until 31 March 2023. While the South African Democratic Teachers Union announced last week that its members resolved to accept the 3% offer, the PSA is doubling down.