Strikes Spread to Gold Mines in South Africa

Some are turning away from unions for representation

Strikes in South Africa have spread in the gold mining industry, apparently inspired by an illegal and violent work stoppage that netted workers at a platinum mine as much as a 22 percent pay hike.

Miners at AngloGold Ashanti's Kopanang mine, which employs 5,000 people and produced about 4 percent of AngloGold Ashanti's total production in the first half of this year, started striking during the night shift on Thursday.