JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's public sector unions rejected a new pay offer from the government on Wednesday to end a three-week strike but asked for more time to consult their 1.3 million members in Africa's biggest economy.

The majority of unions under a coalition, which included South Africa's largest labour federation COSATU, voted against the new offer, although some smaller unions in the grouping were split in their vote.

Members of the smaller Independent Labour Caucus (ILC) union umbrella group said there was a split in their vote, although the group would go with the coalition majority.

The strike has ended the national euphoria over hosting the June-July football World Cup. It has shut schools, led to bodies piling up at state morgues and dampened investor sentiment.

COSATU said earlier on Wednesday it was suspending a one-day sympathy strike this week by all its member unions, including private sector workers, to give the state workers more time to consult.

Suspending the sympathy strike, which could have shut the vital mining sector, removes some of the pressure on President Jacob Zuma's ruling African National Congress to reach a deal fast.