AngloGold Ashanti has announced that it will fire striking workers who do not report to work by midday on Wednesday.

Those who do return to work at the company’s West Wits and Vaal River operations will receive an increased wage offering already communicated to the work force.

In a press release on Monday, Anglo Gold Ashanti Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutifani issued the ultimatum following repeated attempts at negotiation have failed, saying: “Failure to return to work, in order that we resume normal operations, will result in the issue of notices of dismissal to any and all employees who have not complied with the ultimatum.”

He added: “It is regretful that matters have reached this stage, with job losses now being threatened and livelihoods for thousands of families being placed at risk.”

The company is concerned that the on-going strikes have damaged conditions within the mines, which having stood empty for weeks may have deteriorated – prompting worries that the operations may become “sterilised” if a return to work in not forthcoming.  This result would not only cause the gold producer massive financial losses, but would necessarily cause the loss of employment of all miners at the plants in question.

While the company has been swept up in the tide of illegal strikes taking place across the South African mining sector – losing an estimated 32,000 ounces per week of lost gold production – AngloGold Ashanti has acknowledged that despite being unprotected, its work force has continued the action in a relatively safe manner, without violence and injury to people, and without deliberate damage to infrastructure.

Nonetheless the company – which is the world’s third largest gold producer – wishes to avoid any further potential for the outbreak of violence that has plagued the mining sector over the past months, saying: “AngloGold Ashanti … remains concerned about the level of intimidation which appears to be prevalent during the recent illegal strike actions.”

Workers at the gold producer’s Kopanang and Great Noligwa operations have begun returning to their positions over the past days, similarly at the company’s metal plants at Vaal River.