Two major strikes are planned for Wednesday ? one at 2010 FIFA World Cup construction sites, and related projects, and the other at the SABC.

In the construction sector, last-minute negotiations to avert a strike proved unsuccessful on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the Labour Court gave workers the green light to down tools.

The National Union of Mineworkers' Lesiba Seshoka says its members are ready for the mass action.

"They just need to put in the table our 13 percent or we go on strike and definitely we are going on strike on Wednesday," says Leshoka.

It is still unclear how long the workers will be on strike.

Independent construction analyst Mark Ingham says the severity of the strike will depend on how long the builders stay away from work.

"It depends on the duration of the strike. If this is a prolonged strike that goes on for weeks we have real concerns," says Ingham.

At the same time, protest action by half of the South African Broadcast Corporation's workforce will start on Wednesday, the Media Workers Association of South Africa said on Monday.

"The dispute has not been resolved. What they are saying now is that seeing that there is no board obviously they do not have the authority to be signing off percentages they are talking about," said MWASA's Ernest Dlamini.