South African miners mull offer as strikes continue

South African gold producers have made a new wage offer to tens of thousands of striking miners in a bid to end work stoppages that have crippled production since Tuesday, a major union said.

The National Union of Mineworkers, quoted by Sapa News Agency, gave no details of the offer from the Chamber of Mines but said it was scheduled to be discussed on Thursday.

"The chamber presented us with a revised offer, which will be the subject of discussion at today's strike committee meeting that is currently sitting," NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told the Sapa News Agency.

The firms represented by the chamber reported 16 of 23 mines were severely affected in the morning shift on Thursday.

The NUM has demanded 60 percent hikes in basic wages, while the producers' last known offer was 6.5 percent. Seshoka suggested earlier that the union may review its demands.

A spokeswoman for the producers declined to comment on the reported new offer.

"Discussions continue," said gold industry spokeswoman Charmane Russell on Thursday.

However, two smaller firms sealed deals with their workers on Wednesday. Evander Gold Mine and Village Main Reef agreed to increases of between 7.5 and 8 percent for around 5,000 affected workers.

Seven South African gold-mining companies employing some 107,000 workers have been affected by the strike, launched after collective bargaining talks collapsed last week.

(China Daily 09/06/2013 page11)