The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is ready to down tools in the gold sector, it said on Wednesday.
“We're ready to down tools at the gold mines at 18:00 tonight and there is no chance of negotiations to halt the strike, the union's spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told I-Net Bridge/BusinessLIVE.
“The whole world is interested in the gold strike. I have just spoken to the BBC,” he added.
The gold sector had offered an increase of 7% but the union's demand was at 14%.
Seshoka said that 200,000 mineworkers would take part in the gold sector strikes at companies such as Harmony Gold (HAR), Gold Fields (GFI) and AngloGold Ashanti (ANG).
In the platinum sector, the NUM would resume wage negotiations with Anglo American Platinum (AMS) today.
“When it comes to the negotiations, we are miles apart,” Seshoka said as the company had offered 4.6% while the NUM was holding out for an increase of 20%.
Seshoka acknowledged that he had been “quite busy” over the past few days.
“The De Beers strike at the diamond mines is continuing, plus we will be speaking to Implats (IMP) on Monday and then to Northam (NHM) on Wednesday about the platinum sector - and then remember that we are in the fourth day of the coal strike by 150,000 workers too.”
He added that representatives of the NUM in the coal mining industry would hold discussions with the Chamber of Mines today.
Leshoka was confident that there would be no violence during the strikes.
“We have already made it clear that there will be zero tolerance for anyone who intends being violent.” - I-Net Bridge