SOME 7,000 MINERS GO ON STRIKE IN SOUTH AFRICA Some 7,000 black miners went on strike at South African gold and coal mines, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said. A NUM spokesman said 6,000 workers began an underground sit-in at the Grootvlei gold mine, owned by General Union Mining Corp, to protest the transfer of colleagues to different jobs. He said about 1,000 employees of Anglo American Corp's New Vaal Colliery also downed tools but the reason for the stoppage was not immediately clear. Officials of the two companies were not available for comment and the NUM said it was trying to start negotiations with management.