Thousands of South African public employees went on strike on Thursday in a statewide walkout over salaries after negotiations with the government broke down, endangering crucial services.

The Public Servants Association, one of South Africa's major labor unions with over 235,000 members, spearheaded the work stoppage.

The pay standoff between the government and its workers worsened when Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said last week that he would unilaterally apply a 3% raise across the board.

The unions demand a 6.5 percent raise.

Union members, including nurses, immigration employees, and even police officers, picketed outside the Pretoria Treasury office, brandishing black posters that said "public servants are bleeding."

The PSA had warned on Wednesday that the walkout would "have a major effect" on the ministries of home affairs, transportation, and border control.

The minister's "irresponsible move has further harmed the already fragile ties and substantial trust gap" between the government and unions, according to the statement.

During his October mini-budget statement, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said that the government could only afford a 3.3% pay rise on average.

The rise is lower than South Africa's inflation rate, which peaked at 7.8 percent in July.

South Africa's economy was severely harmed when employees at the national rail and port company went on strike for several weeks, stranding mineral and fresh fruit shipments.

AFP