Employers have been locking in their workers to protect them from enforcers from the 220 000-strong National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa.

Strikers east of Johannesburg have broken into offices of engineering companies and poured acid on their computers.

They also been marching on metal-working companies threatening any workers not supporting their strike for a 12 percent pay hike.

In the eastern province of Limpopo, police had to fire rubber bullets on workers picketing the Medupi power station being built to meet South Africa electricity generating shortfall

Talks were scheduled to resume last night (Wednesday) between workers and employers.

Steel and engineering workers say they’re either being forced to flee workplaces besieged by strikers or being held against their will by bosses on the pretext of protecting them.

The union deplores the employers call for police protection against striker’s intimidation, saying it seeks to undermine their efforts to get a living wage in a country still torn by world-beating inequality 20 years after the ANC came to power/

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The strike-breakers were meeting a deadline by Lonmin for their employers to end their marathon action that’s cost them an estimated 53 million euros in lost wages.

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The miners strike has cost the owners at least 100 million euros.

They say their final offer is a ten percent pay hike

Using text messages, Lonmin polled its workers and found sixty percent want to get back underground.

President of the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union Joseph Mathunjwa insists the strike is still on and will continue until workers are paid 800 euros a month.

He urges thousands of club wielding strikers to remain steadfast.

They’d gathered at a stadium near the Lonmin operations at Marikana, where 34 strikers were shot dead by police in August 2012.

Armoured police vehicles patrolled the area and a police helicopter circled overhead.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa was among senior government and police officials who visited the area.

Mthethwa says they won’t tolerate any intimidation of miners wanting to return to work.

Police have the names of those instigating violence and will crack down on them shortly.

Anarchy won’t be allowed whether disguised as industrial action or not.

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