As wage negotiations with some South African platinum producers reach deadlock, one labour union welcomed a new rule for any strike to require backing from workers in a secret ballot.
During the 2014 platinum strike, led by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), one mining boss called for such ballots to increase transparency. Smaller union UASA said the new rule, which came into effect on January 1, would help prevent prolonged and pointless strikes.