"I am not sure the Numsa [National Union of Metalworkers of SA] march was helpful," Mantashe said at a National Union of Mineworkers congress in Johannesburg.

"I need to talk to comrade Vavi about that," he added, looking at Congress of SA Trade Unions' general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

Mantashe said the Numsa march to Sarb on Wednesday, while it was meeting to discuss interest rates, was "counter productive".

Numsa marched to Sarb's offices in Pretoria to demand a cut in interest rates and the scrapping of inflation targeting.

Mantashe said the Sarb would not want to be perceived as having buckled under pressure from unions if it decided to drop rates.

"It is not a household tactic to march because you are actually pushing them not to drop rates... It may be counter productive," said Mantashe.

Sapa

The iafrica.com debate Ebrahim Moolla and Hadlee Simons debate whether the BRT system is really the best solution.

When we fail democracy Rebekah Kendal wonders what it will take before someone stands up to SA's schoolyard bullies…

Quirky & Bizarre Do you need a laugh? Then check out our offbeat stories from around the world...