In Pictures: Strikers gather as South Africa's labour strife drags on
Striking miners sing outside the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Carletonville, northwest of Johannesburg, Oct. 19, 2012. South African workers officially ended a month-long strike at major bullion producer Gold Fields Ltd. on Friday but there was no end in sight for wildcat walkouts that have paralyzed other gold and platinum producers.SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters
A striking miner listens to an address by a union leader at the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Carletonville on Friday. More than 80,000 miners have downed tools in resource-rich South Africa since August in often-violent strikes over pay and working conditions.SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters
Miners listen to an address by their leader at the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Carletonville on Friday. In a speech on the state of the economy this week, South African President Jacob Zuma said wildcat strikes were damaging South Africa’s economy and asked striking miners to immediately return to work.SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters
Striking miners hold placards at a gathering outside the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Carletonville on Friday. Nearly 50 people have died in labour strife since August, including 34 striking miners shot dead on Aug. 16 at Lonmin PLC’s Marikana mine.SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters
Miners gather on a hill at the AngloGold Ashanti Mine in Fochville, near Johannesburg, on Friday. The continuing labour turmoil is raising questions about Mr. Zuma’s leadership.THEMBA HADEBE/The Associated Press
A striking miner listens to an address by a union leader at the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Carletonville on Friday. The continued labour strike is affecting economic growth and investor confidence in Africa’s biggest economy.SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters
Striking miners sing outside the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Carletonville on Friday. AngloGold Ashanti, the world’s No. 3 gold producer, is relying on negotiations at the Chamber of Mines to end the strikes at its South African operations.SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters
Miners sing outside the AngloGold Ashanti Mine in Fochville on Friday. Despite entreaties from President Jacob Zuma, miners remain on strike, demanding wage increases.THEMBA HADEBE/The Associated Press
Miners gather at the AngloGold Ashanti Mine in Fochville on Friday. A month-long strike at Anglo American Platinum is also no closer to ending. The company has fired 12,000 workers at its Rustenburg operations.THEMBA HADEBE/The Associated Press
Striking miners gather on a hill in Fochville on Friday.THEMBA HADEBE/The Associated Press