Anglo Platinum workers call off strike in South Africa

Thousands of workers at the world's top platinum producer Anglo American Platinum in South Africa have returned to work after a brief wildcat strike, the company said on Tuesday. Some 5,600 mineworkers started downing tools on Sunday night over the suspension of 19 union leaders at Amplats operations in the volatile Rustenburg mining belt in North West province. "All of our workers have returned back to work and the situation is normal," said spokeswoman Bongeka Lwana. The militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) -- whose shop stewards had been suspended -- confirmed that their workers were back on the mines. "They have reported to work this morning," said the union's president, Joseph Mathunjwa. The strike was called off after the suspension of the union leaders was lifted, he said, adding that they would return to work Tuesday. The shop stewards were suspended after taking part in an illegal sit-in. Amplats said the illegal strike action had affected two of its mines. Early this year, Anglo announced plans to slash some 14,000 jobs in a bid to cut costs stemming from lengthy wildcat strikes. The figure was revised to 6,000 following protests from both unions and the government.