The National Union of Mineworkers had been seeking a 50% increase but later scaled that back to about a 13% – equating to about 1000 rand a month.

Employers increased their wage hike offer to 8.5% from 8%.

Like other coal mining countries, South Africa’s coal mines have been hurt by the sharp fall in Chinese demand.

Unfortunately, power and labour costs have been rising sharply in South Africa in recent years.

There is a feeling among South Africa’s mostly black mine workers that their pay had remained too low for too long after the end of apartheid rule.