South Africa miners call for national strike

The leader of a major protest by South African platinum miners has called for a national strike in the sector, deepening an industrial crisis that has escalated over the past few months, and spurred violence that left 45 people killed at the Lonmin operated Marikana mine.

Miners from the Anglo American platinum mine (Amplats), joined forces with their colleagues from Marikana at the Blesbok stadium in the heart of the platinum belt near Rustenburg, 100km northwest of Johannesburg on Thursday in a show of solidarity against low wages.

Mametlwe Sebei said the general strike would start in Rustenburg, the centre of platinum production, on Sunday.

The coming together of miners from the two mining giants is an attempt to bring to a halt all mining in the area.

"On Sunday, we are starting with a general strike here in Rustenburg," protest leader Mametlwe Sebei told the crowd.

The action was designed to "bring the mining companies to their knees", he said, to mild applause from the crowd, which was armed with sticks and machetes.

The strikers insisted their push for a sharp hike in wages was peaceful - even after the August 16 police shooting of 45 protesters at Lonmin's platinum mine. "There should be no blood," one placard read.

The wave of labour unrest in Africa's biggest economy has spiralled beyond the control of the government and unions into a grass-roots rebellion by black South Africans who have seen little improvement in their lives since apartheid ended 18 years ago.

His call echoed that of the firebrand politician Julius Malema, who called for a national strike when he addressed disgruntled soldiers in the Johannesburg area on Wednesday.

That led to the South African government placing its military on high alert, the first such move since democracy came to the country in 1994.

Meanwhile, negotiations restarted on Thursday at a site near the Lonmin mine. Workers, bosses and unions sat down to finally try and hammer out an agreement to the deadlock after several weeks of strikes that have brought the country's northwest mining belt to a partial standstill.

The government is concerned that the miners' protests are being used as a focal point for opponents of South African President Jacob Zuma.

Mr Malema, who was expelled from the ruling ANC party, is viewed as trying to resuscitate his political career and force President Zuma from office at its national conference in December.

Joseph Mathunjwa, the leader of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), has called for Mr Zuma to take a lead in resolving the situation.

Mining accounts for about 20% of South Africa's national output and the country is home to 80% of known reserves of platinum.

The price of the element, which has a wide range of industrial and medical uses, has gained nearly 20% since the police shootings at Lonmin's Marikana mine.

Shares in both Anglo American and Lonmin have been hit by the miners' actions.