Gold Fields says 15,000 workers strike at South Africa mine

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - A third of the South African workforce of world No. 4 bullion producer Gold Fields have downed tools in an illegal strike, the company said on Monday, the latest labour stoppage to hit the mining sector in Africa's largest economy.

The wildcat strike action came as South African police readied for possible violence over Monday's back-to-work deadline for striking workers at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine, where 44 people died in labour strife last month, most of them shot by police.

Gold Fields last week resolved an illegal strike by 12,000 workers at its KDC East mine which started because of rank and file discontent with the local branch of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

The labour unrest has now spread to the KDC West operation with 15,000 workers going off the job, shutting production. Gold Fields said the reasons for the latest strike were unclear.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/10/uk-safrica-mines-idUKBRE88908Z20120910