Johannesburg - Workers at a 2010 World Cup football stadium in South Africa were striking for a third day Friday over pay.

Around 500 workers downed tools at Mombela stadium in the north- eastern city of Nelspruit, near the famous Kruger National Park, Wednesday morning demanding to be paid at civil engineering rather than lower construction industry rates.

Workers involved in the construction of the stadiums are being paid just 10 Rand (1.28 dollars) an hour.

The stadium management and the provincial Mpumalanga government were in talks aimed at resolving the dispute, a spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers, the union representing the workers, told South African radio.

The stadium is one of nine being built or revamped in South Africa to host the World Cup, which is being staged for the first time ever in Africa in 2010.

The strike is the third strike over pay at the stadium since November. The other two were short-lived.

Construction at several other stadiums has also temporarily been stopped due to strikes. (dpa)