Tens of thousands of miners in South Africa have gone on strike, demanding a higher minimum wage.<br /><br />Outside the AngloAmerican Bathopele platinum mine in Rustenburg, about 100 kilometres from Johannesburg, workers sang and danced their protest on Thursday morning.<br /><br />South Africa is the world’s leading producer of platinum, and the protest is disrupting one of its major industries. <br /><br />“According to the economy of South Africa, they are indicating that if we don’t work obviously they will have a crisis in terms of the economy. But remember, there is a demand from workers. The workers that are working underground, they are facing a very serious challenge, whereby they don’t get enough money to survive” said Stephen Dijo, Representative of the Allied Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).<br /><br /> In 2012, police shot and killed 34 miners during a walkout at the nearby Lonmin platinum mine. <br /><br />South African officials say they will act decisively to enforce the law. <br /><br />The miners say they won’t return until a minimum monthly wage of 12,500 rand – around 840 euros – is agreed.
