* Labour troubles reported at Amplats and RBPlat
* Mine turmoil raises worries about investing in S.Africa
* Rights group urges govt to address social problems
By Ed Stoddard
RUSTENBURG, South Africa, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Labour unrest
in South Africa’s platinum belt spread on Wednesday, raising
concerns that anger over low wages and poor living conditions
could generate fresh violence after 34 striking miners were shot
dead by police last week.
The strike that started last week at Lonmin’s Marikana mine
has driven up platinum prices and stoked worries about investing
in Africa’s biggest economy, where chronic unemployment and
massive income disparities threaten social stability.
The world’s top platinum producer, Anglo American Platinum
, said on Wednesday it had received a demand for a pay
increase from its South African workers, while a trade union
said miners at Royal Bafokeng Platinum’s Rasimone site
had been blocked from reporting for work by colleagues.
The price of platinum leapt to its highest since early May
on Wednesday, driven by concern about supply from South Africa,
which holds 80 percent of the known reserves of the metal, used
in jewellery and for catalytic converters in cars.
Spot platinum rose by as much as 1.5 percent to touch
$1,524.49 an ounce, trading at $1,521.75 by 0841 GMT.
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