Government civil servants are to get a total pay increase of 13.2% spread over the coming four years as well as a full 13th month pay-out by 2010. Agreement on a new pay deal (CAO) was reached between the home affairs ministry and unions on Thursday evening and will be put to members in the coming weeks.

ANP news agency reports that the deal also includes a proviso that the 15,000 civil service jobs the government wants to cut will not lead to compulsory redundancies. An earlier offer of 10.5% over three years three months led unions to suspend their ongoing campaign of industrial action.