The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said that its members of PPC Cement's Slurry plant near Mafikeng, South Africa, have embarked on a strike over wages. The NUM said that PPC must close the wage gaps that exist within the company, as it feels that the management is creating the wage gaps instead of closing them.

This comes after the NUM gave PPC Cement a notice to strike on Sunday last week and workers commenced with the industrial action on Monday. The NUM demands a 12 per cent wage increase across the board, but the company is offering workers an offer of six per cent across the board.

The union also demands a ZAR1000 (US$74)/month housing allowance, a pool car so that the union leadership can attend union activities and meetings to service members, time off to visit union members when they are hospitalised, and that the position of a health and safety officer should be full-time.