ESKOM

South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers said Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the world's largest platinum producer, again raised its wage offer on Friday, trying to head off a strike that could cause a jump in global prices of the precious metal.

South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers members at Impala Platinum on Friday rejected a revised pay rise offer from the world's second largest producer of the precious metal and will refer the dispute to arbitration.

More than 200,000 South African municipal workers walked off the job on Monday, a trade union said, in a strike which intensifies labour strife that has rocked Africa's biggest economy.

South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers said on Thursday Impala Platinum had improved its wage offer in a bid to avert a strike which could impact production at the world's second-largest producer of the precious metal.

Some 100,000 South African gold miners went on strike on Thursday, but fuel workers ended a stoppage that had slowed commerce and caused panic buying.

Striking workers in South Africa's petroleum sector are discussing a revised wage offer to end a three-week-old walkout as stoppages spread to the vital mining sector, threatening supplies of coal and gold.

Higher input costs and a strong rand led to a 63 percent drop in ArcelorMittal South Africa's first-half profit and the steelmaker forecast a difficult third quarter on Wednesday, sending its shares to a 28-month low.

South African gold miners will this week join thousands of workers seeking pay rises in widening nationwide strikes, threatening to hurt exports from Africa's largest economy at a time when bullion is at record highs.

South Africa's new energy resource plan, which will determine the country's electricity mix over the next 20 years, will be passed into law by the start of April, a government official said on Tuesday.

South African building firm Murray & Roberts fell to a half-year loss on Wednesday and said it will sell some assets in the Middle East and Australia, as it fights to ride out an industry-wide slump.

South Africa's nearly week-long truckers' strike over wages has caused some petrol stations to run dry and raised concerns that a prolonged walk-out could deal a blow to Africa's largest economy.

Anglo American's thermal coal unit is keen to expand its operations in South Africa and beyond, but is waiting for price of acquisitions to come down first, the unit's head said late on Wednesday.

Namibia's Nampower plans to solicit bids as early as April for the $1 billion power plant that forms part of its Kudu gas-to-power project, the power utility's managing director told Reuters on Wednesday.

A state-owned South African mining company likely to focus on coal and uranium will be up and running by the end of February, but much of its work will be farmed out to private firms, a senior official said on Tuesday.

South African coal producers on Friday dismissed utility Eskom's criticism of coal quality and the power company's claims that suppliers were favouring exports over deliveries to its electricity generating plants.

South African Mining Minister Susan Shabangu said on Wednesday the government would act to ensure sufficient coal supplies for power generation, but urged industry to sort out the supply problem first.

South African utility Eskom said on Thursday a 10-year, $1.75 billion international bond launched this week with a 5.75 percent coupon was more than 2-1/2 times oversubscribed.

Ratings agency Fitch raised South Africa's outlook to stable from negative on Monday, saying its recovery in 2010 after a recession the year before had outpaced expectations.