Από τον αστικό τύπο (εξαιρετικό άρθρο για να κατανοήσει κανείς τη σύγχρονη γλώσσα του κεφαλαίου, η έμφαση σε ορισμένα σημεία δική μας):

The rand breached 10 to the dollar for the first time in more than four years on Thursday after an attempt by the country’s president to allay concerns over labour unrest misfired badly. Remarks by President Jacob Zuma at a hastily-called news conference had the opposite effect to that intended, which coupled with poor monthly revenue and spending data sent bonds to their weakest in two months. Investors quickly sold the currency after Zuma’s comments that a democracy should not regard strikes as a problem. The rand extended those losses after Glencore Xstrata Plc said as many as 1,500 South African workers had gone on an illegal strike at three of its chrome mines. Market watchers said Zuma’s media address disappointed investors by failing to outline concrete steps to resolve the persistent labour strife which has hit mining output in the world’s largest platinum producer. Dealers said Zuma’s address did not inspire any confidence.

Glencore Xstrata Plc said on Thursday three of its chrome mines in South Africa were at a standstill after up to 1,500 workers embarked on an illegal strike this week. The dispute at the mines near Steelpoort, northeast of Johannesburg in the Limpopo province, adds to long-running friction in the mining industry that has caused production to slow, raised concerns about Africa’s largest economy and sent the rand to new four-year lows.

“The strike started on Tuesday and all three mines are not in operation,” said Glencore Xstrata chrome spokesman Christopher Tsatsawane. “We have dismissed 200 employees at Helena mine after they failed to return to work after three ultimatums.” He said more employees could be dismissed. Final ultimatums were yet to be issued to strikers at its Magareng and Thorncliffe mines. Tsatsawane said the workers, most of whom belong to the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), had stopped work in solidarity with an individual who claims he was assaulted by a shift supervisor. South Africa, home to around 75 percent of the world’s chromite reserves, has become a flashpoint of violent labour strife as AMCU and the dominant National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) battle for members.