Johannesburg: South Africa's largest union on Wednesday suspended a one-day sympathy strike by miners, in order to give 1.3 million striking state workers more time to consider a new wage offer.

Unions representing the state workers, who have been on a three-week strike, were expected to announce on Wednesday afternoon, whether they would accept a new government offer aimed at ending the action that has temporarily shut down schools and caused chaos in hospitals.

"The intention of the suspension of the secondary strike is to give public servants sufficient time to consult with members and the state to finalise its talks with labour," the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said in a statement.

In a separate labour action, about 70,000 workers seeking 20 per cent wage increases at petrol stations, garages and car dealerships walked off the job on Wednesday.

Financial traders say the state workers' strike has lowered morale, but so far has had no major impact on bonds or the rand currency. However, one prominent economist says it is costing the economy about $150 million (Dh498.46 million) a day.

The labour action planned for Thursday by the NUM and other unions in the country's largest labour confederation COSATU, which claims to have nearly two million members, would have affected mining, manufacturing and other key industries.

Other COSATU group members may follow the lead of the federation's largest member, analysts say.

A one-day strike is unlikely to have much of an economic impact. But COSATU has threatened that if there is no resolution, all its group members could go on a prolonged strike, which it says would cripple the South African economy.

South Africa is the world's fourth largest gold producer and the largest platinum producer. The country's biggest firms, such as Anglo Platinum, Impala Platinum and Harmony Gold Mining, have stockpiles of ore and would not be seriously affected by a one-day strike.

COSATU leadership, which says its longstanding governing alliance with the African National Congress is on the verge of rupture, appears to be reducing pressure on the ruling party after President Jacob Zuma ordered ministers to quickly end the state workers' strike.