Amplats suspends operations in South Africa

Anglo American Platinum, or Amplats, the world's largest primary producer of platinum, has been forced to suspend its operations in South Africa as a wave of labour unrest continues to hit the country's mining industry.

Amplats assured that its own employees are not themselves on strike but said that the suspension of its Rustenburg platinum operations is an attempt to protect the safety and security of workers from "outside imtimidation".

According to Reuters, 1,500 marchers had confronted riot police at Amplats' Bathopele project, attempting to encourage its workers to join the protest.

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Chris Griffith, the Chief Executive Officer of Amplats, said: "Our employees are not on strike. However, in light of the current volatile situation in the Rustenburg area, where our employees, who want to go to work, are being prevented from doing so and are being intimidated by the threat of violence, Anglo American Platinum has decided to suspend its operations in the Rustenburg area with immediate effect. The suspension will continue until such time as operations can be safely resumed."

UK-listed Anglo American owns 80% of Anglo American Platinum, which accounts for around 40% of global supply.

Amplats said that it will safely return to production as soon as possible. "Our Rustenburg operations are already under considerable economic pressure and the longer it is necessary to continue this suspension, the greater the risk to their long-term viability," the company said.

Protests continue to spread

The suspension comes a month after 44 people died during violent protests at Lonmin's Marikana project close to the Rustenberg area. Some 34 people were shot dead by police in a single day during the week-long unrest. An investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Aquarius Platinum had also been hit by unrest in the last year, experiencing an armed attack on one of its shafts by disgruntled former employees.

South African politician Julius Malema has called for a full-scale national strike in South Africa's mining industry. The country's army has been put on 'high alert' for the first time since 1994 as Malema attempts to rally for an "economic revolution", according to the BBC.