Northam Platinum Ltd. confirmed that about 750 contractor employees at its Booysendal platinum mine in South Africa started an unprotected strike the night of March 26.

In a move to make Booysendal an owner-operated mine, Northam approached the employees of contractor Murray & Roberts Cementation Ltd., or MRC, to become full-time Northam employees. The employees are demanding end-of-contract termination packages from MRC.

According to a March 27 statement, MRC and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union are in consultation with the affected employees, while MRC has applied for an urgent interdict to effect a return to work.