JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The strike at Northam Platinum’s Zondereinde mine, in Limpopo, is costing R9-million a day in lost revenue, the JSE-listed company said on Monday.

The Zondereinde mine produces about 1 000 oz/d of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold.

The company said that the majority of the mine’s 6 800 employees downed tools on Sunday night, demanding higher wage increases.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has rejected the company’s wage offer of 8% and a similar increase in the living-out allowance to R1 728 a month.

The NUM is demanding a 15% wage rise. South Africa’s inflation rate is at a four-year low of 3,7%.