SA strike 'to halt 2010 building'

Unions in South Africa are finalising preparations for a strike on Wednesday, which they say will halt work on stadiums for the 2010 World Cup. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), whose members include construction workers, says about 70,000 people will down tools nationwide.

The NUM wants a 13% pay rise, while employers are offering 10%.

A court on Monday rejected a request from the employers to declare the indefinite strike illegal.

NUM national spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told the BBC that its members were all set for tomorrow. "We are going ahead with the strike. We are doing the final preparations," he said.

Organisers have set December as the deadline for the completion of all construction work.

Six entirely new stadiums are being built for the World Cup, while four are being modernised. Correspondents say that so far, the work seems to be on schedule.

This is the first time the football World Cup will be hosted in Africa.