JOHANNESBURG – Talks to end the protracted wage strike in the platinum sector will continue behind closed doors at an undisclosed location in Johannesburg on Thursday, the Chamber of Mines said.

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), Impala Platinum (Implats) and Lonmin representatives will meet with Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) on Thursday, said spokes Charmane Russell.

On Wednesday, AMCU said there was no final offer yet and that talks were continuing.

AMCU members at Amplats, Impala, and Lonmin mining operations in Rustenburg in North West and Northam in Limpopo downed tools on January 23, demanding a basic salary of R12 500 a month.

The three platinum companies have tabled a wage increase offer of between 7.5% and 10%.

The proposed offer would see the minimum cash remuneration for entry-level underground workers rise to R12 500 a month or R150 000 a year by July 2017.

In terms of the proposal, the cost-to-company for the lowest-paid underground worker would be in excess of R17 500 a month or R210 000 a year by July 2017.

The union rejected a wage increase of nine percent. The companies in turn rejected AMCU's revised demand that the R12 500 could be phased in over four years.

The strike has cost the companies R14.4-billion in revenue and workers have lost over R6.4-billion in earnings.

The R12 500 demand stems from a violent wildcat strike in Marikana near Rustenburg in August 2012, where Lonmin workers demanded R12 500 as a basic monthly salary.

Forty-four people were killed during the strike. Thirty-four mineworkers were killed on August 16, 2012, when police fired on them while allegedly trying to disarm and disperse them. Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed during the preceding week.

President Jacob Zuma appointed retired judge Ian Farlam to chair a commission probing the 44 deaths.