The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Wednesday announced that the public sector strike was over, even though no deal had been signed with the government.

At a press conference on Wednesday evening in Centurion, National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) president Michael Makwayiba said that seven of the eight Cosatu unions had accepted the government's offer of a 7,5% wage increase and an R800 monthly housing allowance.

"Today I think is the final closure of the strike. We do think that at the end of the day we will reach the 50%," he said.

Shortly before the conference, Independent Labour Caucus (ILC) spokesperson Chris Klopper said that one of the ILC unions had accepted the offer, bringing the total to about 45% of workers accepting it.

He said that by next Tuesday he believed that more union leaders representing another 36% of workers would have received a mandate to either accept or reject the offer.

He declined to speculate on the mandate that union leaders would return with, but said: "There will be no increases if there is no signature."

Makwayiba said that he did not believe the government would now withdraw its offer and believed a deal would be reached.

"We must appreciate the strike this year was a long protracted strike. We had to be sure that we reach every union," said Makwayiba.

The unions suspended their four-week strike early in September for 21 days to allow union members time to consider the government's offer.

Unions had demanded an 8,6% wage increase together with a R1 000 monthly housing allowance.

Dumisani Nkwamba, the spokesperson for Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi, said: "We remain hopeful that they will acquire the required majority."

He said that the ILC had requested more time to consult with its members and the government was awaiting the outcome of those consultations.

The South African Democratic Teachers' Union said that it would not accept the revised offer of 7,6% and an R800 housing allowance. But it would not go on strike again.