2007年VOA标准英语-S. African Government Seeks Injunction to Bar P

By Delia Robertson
Johnnesburg
15 June 2007

The South African Police Service is seeking a court order to prevent police officers from joining the public service strike. VOA'S Delia Robertson reports from our bureau in Johannesburg the action comes against the backdrop of the expected resumption of formal negotiations¹ on an agreement that could bring an end to the 15-day strike.

The police service decided² to seek the injunction following a decision by the police, prisons and civil rights union to call its members out on strike because an agreement to end the strike has not been reached.

Union spokesperson Pat Ntsobi told national radio the union is ready to defy the legal prohibition³ against strikes by its members.

"Well, we will not deviate⁴ from the mandate⁵ of our congress," said Ntsobi. "Our congress said embark⁶ on this strike if it is not resolved by Friday, and that is clearly what we are implementing⁸ now."

On Thursday, union negotiators called a hurried meeting with the government during which the government made a new offer, including an across-the-board 7.25 percent basic salary increase. The unions said they would seek a fresh mandate from their members.

Cape9 Town, South Africa, 1 June 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070628/1347250.jpg" width="188" vspace="2" border="0" />

South African civil servants protest outside Tygerberg hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, 01 June 2007

One newspaper has reported that the government is getting ready to unilaterally implement⁷ its wage package, if an agreement is not reached within days. This is legally permitted and is something the government did in 1999, a move which ended an equally hostile dispute.

While the public generally supports public servants in their demand for better wages and employment conditions, public sentiment is shifting because of incidents of violence and intimidation¹⁰.

The public has also been angered by the lengthy¹¹ disruption to education and the neglect of patients in hospitals and medical facilities.

Talks between the parties will formally resume on Sunday.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 prohibition   

n.禁止；禁令，禁律

参考例句：

• The prohibition against drunken driving will save many lives.禁止酒后开车将会减少许多死亡事故。
• They voted in favour of the prohibition of smoking in public areas.他们投票赞成禁止在公共场所吸烟。

4 deviate   

v.(from)背离，偏离

参考例句：

• Don't deviate from major issues.不要偏离主要问题。
• I will never deviate from what I believe to be right.我绝不背离我自信正确的道路。

5 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

6 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

9 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

10 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

11 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。