AngloGold Ashanti said it will sack 12,000 South African wildcat strikers who ignored a deadline to return to work today.
AngloGold rival Harmony Gold has also given wildcat strikers an ultimatum to return to work on Thursday.
Anglogold is the latest case where the hardball tactic has failed to get substantial numbers of strikers back to work.
Gold Fields, the world’s fourth-largest bullion producer, sacked 8,500 wildcat strikers at its KDC East mine on Tuesday after they ignored an ultimatum. Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the world’s largest platinum producer, also sacked 12,000 at its Rustenburg operations earlier this month.
Anglo American said last week that it would now be delaying the dismissal process at its Union and Amandelbult operations, where it employs 20,500 people. It also said it was open to discussing the reinstatement of the sacked workers with unions.
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