Striking workers at the Mbombela stadium will return to work on Monday while they wait for a response from the CCMA, the National Union of Mineworkers said on Friday.

Spokesman George Ledwaba said the strike had not been applied for and was therefore illegal.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) would respond within 14 days to workers' demands to increase their pay to R21 an hour from R12 an hour.

The workers argued that labourers at other 2010 construction sites earned more than they did for doing similar work.

The construction company, the Mbombela Stadium Joint Venture overseen by Seloane Consulting from Johannesburg, said that it had tendered based on the current rate of remuneration and would have to speak to its stakeholders before it could resolve the dispute.

The company also said it was worried about a ripple effect that could affect many 2010 construction sites across South Africa if it allowed the worker's remuneration to be calculated in terms of the civil engineering sector rates instead of being calculated according to
the building industry rates.

If the CCMA issued a certificate of non-resolution then NUM would consider giving 48-hour notice to Seloane declaring a strike action, said Ledwaba.

The stadium's human resources manager was suspended on Thursday after NUM had made a formal request to replace the manager following numerous complaints by workers that he was rude to them.

The manager was suspended pending the outcome of investigations into the complaints.

The Mbombela Stadium is due to be delivered to the Mbombela municipality in 15 month's time.