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Labor unrest continues to rattle mining industry in South Africa
The strike at Gold Fields was the second in two weeks at the world’s fourth gold producer.
“Employees of the west section of the KDC Gold Mine… on the West Rand in South Africa have been engaging in an unlawful strike since the start of the night shift” Sunday evening, Gold Fields said in a statement.
A strike by 12,000 mine workers at KDC’s east section near Johannesburg ended on September 5 after a seven-day stayaway. The workers had also demanded a change in leadership at their local NUM branch.
Experts say the growing labor disputes appear linked to political developments in the country as the ruling ANC gears up for its crucial elective conference by year’s end.
The party will pick the person who will run, and most likely win, the 2014 presidential election.
“It’s almost become contagious,” said Crispen Chinguno of the sociology department at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
“Although workers have genuine labor grievances, it’s gone well beyond labor unrest.
