South African mining strikes have spread to the chrome sector, after miners in gold and platinum mines halted work across the country.

Reports on Monday say that some miners at Samancor chrome mine located near Mooinooi, northwest of Johannesburg stopped work, demanding a minimum pay of 12,500 rand ($1,560).

This comes as South African police forces stopped protesting miners from marching on a police station in the country’s North West Province of Rustenburg on Sunday.


Meanwhile, on September 10, some 15,000 mine workers staged a demonstration at Gold Fields mine to voice their anger over pay and working conditions, after four people injured in a shooting at the same mine.

The strike has been marked by violent clashes in August, where police forces killed 34 striking miners at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine which is reportedly the world's third-largest platinum producer with approximately 28,000 employees. In all, 45 people have died in violence related to the unrest.

South Africa is home to nearly 80 percent of the world’s known platinum reserves. Mining accounts for about 20 percent of the country's national output.

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Press TV