South African trade unions have suspended a strike which has paralysed schools and hospitals for the past 20 days.

南非工会停止了一场持续30天的罢工，这次罢工使南非学校和医院造成瘫痪。

The unions have called a halt to the strike to allow them to consider the government's offer

Trade union leaders said the move would allow members to consider the latest government offer.

Some 1.3 million civil servants（公务员） went on strike demanding an 8.5% pay rise, while the government has offered 7.5%.

The strike has seen strong criticism of President Jacob Zuma, who the unions had helped bring to power in 2009.

'Immediate¹'

The government had said it cannot afford the unions' demand.

But last week Mr Zuma ordered his ministers to negotiate an end to the strike.

The government's renewed offer had been initially² refused by the unions, and their powerful umbrella group, the Congress of South African Trades Unions, Cosatu.

But now the strike has been suspended to allow unions to consider the government's offer.

"We suspend it [the strike] immediately, and we want workers to return to work as soon as possible. That means tomorrow," Chris Klopper of the Independent Labour Caucus³ said.

Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi is expected to issue a statement later on Monday, his spokesman Dumisani Nkwamba said.

The military had brought in army medics（医护人员） to take over hospitals.

In some places the strike had turned violent, with striking workers beating nurses who crossed picket⁴ lines（警戒线，哨兵线） .

Students had also raised concerns that the strike would affect their prospects⁵ of graduating, as school closures dragged on further into the term.

Workers who came to hear union officials shouted in protest when they announced that the strike was being suspended, it was reported.

"There comes a time in any strike in which we must weigh our options," president of the South African Democratic Teachers Union, Thobile Ntola told crowds of red-shirted strikers.

Workers had also demanded generous（慷慨的，大方的） housing allowances in addition to pay rises that were double the rate of inflation.

Analysts⁶ said striking workers are at risk of alienating⁷（使疏远，离间） the public at large（详尽的，未被捕的） , many of whom are not as well paid.

But public sector⁸ unions are angry that they have received so little in return for helping⁹ Jacob Zuma become the head of the African National Congress and president of South Africa, analysts say.