A strike has begun at the South African mine which produces most of the country’s platinum.

South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers has said it called its members out of the Northam Platinum complex over pay.

Northam management is offering an 8% pay rise, but the miners want 15%.

South African miners under the NUM banner number around 8,000 miners out of Northam’s 8,600 total workforce.

It is the latest in a series of walk-outs in South Africa over pay.

Recently, public sector employees, including nurses, police officers, teachers and immigration staff, went on strike, demanding an 8.5% rise in pay.

They have been offered 7.5%.