The strike at the Modikwa Platinum mine in Limpopo will continue on Thursday, the National Union of Mineworkers said.
Chief negotiator Humbulani Tshikalange said a draft agreement was presented to the union on Wednesday to be studied.
The agreement deals with the issues agreed upon during negotiations on Monday in the dispute that began over allegations of racism.
A compromise was reached on the provision of transport subsidies for workers as well as the wage gap between white and black staff.
The only issue remaining is that of continuous operation.
The union maintains that the continuous working week contravenes the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and Mine Act.
Modikwa’s head of strategy, Francis Petersen, said all employees had signed individual contracts with the mine regarding this issue.
”There are lots of implications of doing away with conops [continuous operation] … retrenchments being one of them,” he said.
Tshikalange said both parties will meet with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Polokwane on Friday in a bid to resolve the matter.
About 2 000 workers downed tools last Friday, halting production at the mine and costing it an estimated R20-million.
The union was considering taking the matter to the Department of Minerals and Energy and the Department of Labour’s inspectorate divisions for intervention.
Tshikalange said this would be a ”last resort” should the CCMA’s intervention fail to yield results.
Plans for a secondary strike will also proceed should the matter remain unresolved, he said. — Sapa