South African gold miners look set to down tools The National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa has said it will ballot its members on strike action after pay talks between managers and gold miners collapsed. The gold companies said they had raised their offer, but the unions failed to compromise. Some of the people that were supposed to have been paid their monthly salaries, have not been paid. Some of the guys here were supposed to have gone on leave, they have not be paid their holiday money. That tells you the extent of the challenge here," said one irate miner. The prospect of a gold mine strike will heap yet more problems on Africa's largest economy as the country is already losing a millions a day as a result of an ongoing dispute involving carmakers. More about: Mining, Protest, South Africa, Strike