South African miners pressure ANC with new strike call

Miners gather for a march in Rustenburg in South Africa's North West Province, September 13, 2012. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

RUSTENBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - A leader of a major protest by South African platinum miners called on Thursday for a national strike in the sector, deepening an industrial crisis that is evolving into the biggest threat to the ruling ANC since it came to power in 1994.

The wave of labour unrest in Africa's biggest economy has spiralled beyond the control of the government and unions into a grass-roots rebellion by black South Africans who have seen little improvement in their lives since apartheid ended 18 years ago.