Botswana civil servants suspend 8-week strike

Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions spokesman Goretetse Kekgonegile said unions had agreed to the suspend the action in order to "restrategize" after clashes between striking workers and police this week across the country.

Up to 90,000 people are set to go back to work on Monday while union leaders ponder what to do next in a legal battle with the government over reinstatement of some sacked workers.

"We shall announce the date of the resumption of the strike after holding a special congress to the convened soon," Kekgonegile said.

Two weeks ago workers accepted a government offer of a 3 percent pay rise on condition 1,500 sacked officials were reinstated as part of a final settlement. The government rejected the offer.

The unprecedented strike by state workers who had initially demanded a 16 percent pay rise is one of the biggest challenges to confront President Ian Khama, a UK-trained former general and son of Botswana's founding father.

Khama has insisted throughout that the lingering effects of the 2008 global financial crisis meant Botswana could not afford excessive pay rises, and he would not risk the country's reputation for fiscal discipline by increasing borrowing.

However, the opposition have portrayed him as insensitive to the needs of Botswana's 1.8 million people and called for his resignation.

(Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Peroshni Govender)