South Africa agrees three-year wage deal with public sector unions

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - The South African government has agreed a three-year wage deal with public sector unions, a spokesman for the NEHAWU union, which represents workers in healthcare, education and other professions, said.

"All of us, everyone in the bargaining council, is signing the agreement today," NEHAWU's Khaya Xaba said.

Xaba said the government had offered a three-year deal which made provision for wage hikes of up to 7 percent in the first year, and hikes of up to projected inflation plus 1 percent in the second and third years.

(Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Alexander Winning)