JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The world's largest platinum producer Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Friday said it had fired 12,000 striking miners.
Amplats spokesperson Mpumi Sithole said the decision to sack those miners was made after repeatedly calling for the miners to resume work.
Those dismissed miners failed to attend the disciplinary hearings instituted against them for embarking on illegal strike, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson stressed that the company is suffering losses in revenue since the strike started more than a month ago.
It was reported that the strikes at Amplats spread from the mines in the North West Province to the ones in the northeastern province of Limpopo.
The miners at Amplats have been on strike for three weeks, demanding a monthly salary of 16,000 rands (1,800 U.S. dollars).
On Friday morning ,a miner was found dead on a hill near Amplats in the North West Province. Police have thrown a probe into the case.
There are rising concerns over the situation, fearing a Marikana-like tragedy would occur again.
In August dozens of miners were killed in strikes for an increase of their monthly pay at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in the North West Province.
Amplats is the world's largest platinum producer with a workforce of approximately 75,000 miners.
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