Reuters/Johannesburg

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) miners ended an illegal walkout at midnight and now want talks to prevent further action against the world’s largest producer of the precious metal, a labour leader said.

Workers at three of Amplats’ South African mines went on a wildcat walkout from Tuesday’s overnight shift, hours after the company, a unit of London-listed Anglo American, announced plans to mothball shafts and cut 14,000 jobs.

“The strike was only for last night,” said Amplats labour leader Evans Ramokga. He added workers would press management to find a way to head off job cuts, which were equal to about 3% of South Africa’s overall workforce in the mining sector. Amplats officials were not immediately available to comment.

Amplats earlier said an unspecified number of employees at its Khomanani, Thembelani and Tumela mines, in the heart of South Africa’s platinum belt, had refused to go underground.

Only Khomanani was among the mines slated for indefinite closure or sale by the company, so the wildcat action indicates militant labour activists had persuaded miners in other shafts to join sympathy strikes.

The protests, expected after Anglo American unveiled its restructuring plans, combined with strong government objections to job cuts show how difficult it will be for the mining giant to push through changes critical for its recovery and that of its loss-making unit.

The mining communities and shantytowns around the platinum belt city of Rustenburg, 120km northwest of Johannesburg, have been a flashpoint of labour and social unrest.

The planned job cuts and closures risk provoking a repeat of the violent wildcat strikes in the gold and platinum sectors last year that left more than 50 people dead and slowed the growth of Africa’s largest economy.

They have also stirred anger from the government and ruling African National Congress (ANC) as they grapple with a jobless rate of over 25% and growing social discontent ahead of next year’s general elections.

Mines minister Susan Shabangu yesterday lashed out at Amplats again, calling the company and its chief executive Chris Griffith “arrogant.”

“Amplats decided to undermine all of us. Amplats continues to be arrogant ... They’ve been playing games with us,” she said during an interview with SAFM radio.

Anglo said in a statement that it took its regulatory and social responsibilities seriously.