One of the three new shafts at Impala’s primary Rustenburg operation

Johannesburg, South Africa --- MININGREVIEW.COM --- 28 July 2010 - South Africa’s biggest mining trade union ‒ the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) ‒has announced that the strike planned for Monday at Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats) is being delayed to allow further negotiations between management and the union.

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said Implats ‒ the world's second largest producer of the metal ‒ had asked for further talks to try and end the deadlock over wages.

“The strike will be delayed and a new conciliator will be appointed to meet us and the management,” Seshoka told Reuters.

The NUM is demanding a 10% pay rise across the board, while Impala is offering a wage rise of 8% for workers in the lower pay bracket and 7.5% for those in the higher pay category.