Talks are under way between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Impala Platinum in a bid to end an eight-day wage strike, the union said on Tuesday.
”We are still demanding a wage increase of 14% and Impala Platinum is still offering 10%,” NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said.
He confirmed that NUM members were still on strike at two Impala Platinum operations — Rustenburg and Marula.
About 20 000 workers began striking over wages at the Rustenburg mine eight days ago.
The strike at Marula began on Thursday night.
On Friday the Labour Court dismissed the company’s bid to end the strike with costs.
Initially NUM had demanded a 10% wage increase, to which the company had agreed.
However, workers were now demanding 14% as well as changes to housing and transport allowances.
Impala Platinum insisted it could not allow a 14% increase.
”Fourteen percent is double consumer price inflation — all other recent wage agreements in South Africa have been between 9,5% and 10,5%,” the company said last week.
It was losing 3 000 ounces in production at its Rustenburg operations every day of the strike. — Sapa