Anglo American spokesperson was quoted by Fox Business saying, "The work stoppage did not affect the night shift and production is back to normal this morning."

The company played down any events of violence at the mine as well as declining to provide reasons that prompted the strike.

On 13 March, miners at the Kleinkopje project went on an illegal strike hinting a possible rising of industrial unrest in South Africa’s coal mining sector.

The Anglo American mine strike follows similar outrage over a bonus dispute by workers at four coal mines owned by Exxaro Resources earlier in March 2013.