* World’s top platinum producer hit by strikes
* Gold Fields miners rally in pay protest
* Strikes reach diamond sector
(Recasts with Amplats statements, adds details)
By Ed Stoddard
CARLTONVILLE, South Africa, Oct 2 (Reuters) – Anglo American
Platinum warned on Tuesday that security had worsened
at its strike-hit South African mines as several thousand gold
miners rallied over pay in the dispute-plagued industry.
As many as 75,000 miners, or 15 percent of the South African
mining sector’s total workforce, are on wildcat strikes,
threatening already shaky growth of Africa’s biggest economy.
The ruling African National Congress and President Jacob
Zuma have drawn criticism for their handling of the mines
unrest, with political opponents and analysts saying they have
not responded quickly enough to address workers’ grievances.
“The security situation in the Rustenburg area worsened
during yesterday evening,” Anglo American Platinum said in a
statement, referring to its mines in the country’s “platinum
belt” about 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.
Amplats, the world’s top platinum producer, said it had
advised workers not to come to work on Tuesday, but expected to
resume operations on Wednesday.
Continued…
