The National Union of Mineworkers announced on Thursday that it had signed a three-year wage deal at the Nkomati Nickel mine, which is owned by Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Minerals and Norilsk of Russia.

The deal followed a three-day strike which started on Sunday evening. The agreement is effective from the 1st of July.

The agreement would see workers receiving increases of 8.5% in the first year, up to 9% in the second year and up to 10% in the third year, according to their category. Workers would also receive a housing allocation of R2 930 in the first year, rising to R3 512 in the third year and a medical award that started at R1 953 and rises to R2 342. There is also a long service award that would see workers with 10 years of service receive R4 000, while those with 25 years of service would receive R12 000.

“NUM members at Nkomati Nickel Mine are quite pleased and excited that the wage agreement was concluded without any strike, violence, intimidation and loss of life,” David Mabapa, NUM deputy general secretary and chief negotiator at Nkomati said in a statement, overlooking the three days of peaceful industrial action that had preceded the signing of the agreement.

• [Editor:Juan]