Wage Agreement Reached at Bokoni Platinum Mines
October 20 2009 - 9:50AM
PR Newswire (US)
VANCOUVER, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Anooraq Resources
Corporation ("Anooraq" or the "company") (TSXV: ARQ; NYSE Amex:
ANO; JSE: ARQ) is pleased to announce that a two-year wage
agreement has been reached at its Bokoni Platinum Mines (Bokoni),
with the National Union of Mineworkers, the National Union of
Metalworkers of South Africa and the United Association of South
Africa. Negotiations at Bokoni were undertaken under the auspices
of Anglo Platinum as negotiations had begun prior to Anooraq
assuming management of this operation on 1 July 2009. The agreement
provides for wage increases of: - between 9 and 10% in the first
year (10%: A1 to A3 bands, 9.5%: B4 to B7 bands, 9%: C1 to D1
bands), and - between 7.5% and 8% in the second year (8%: A1 to B3
bands, 7.5%: B4 to D1 bands) or alternatively the Consumer Price
Index plus 2%, whichever is the greater. Agreement was also reached
on minimum wages, living-out allowances and home ownership
allowances. Anooraq is pleased that the parties were able to reach
a realistic wage agreement, without any industrial action. The TSX
Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release. The NYSE Amex Exchange has neither
approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.
Cautionary and Forward Looking Information This release includes
certain statements that may be deemed "forward looking statements".
All statements in this release, other than statements of historical
facts, that address potential acquisitions, future production,
reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities
and events or developments that Anooraq expects are forward looking
statements. Anooraq believes that such forward looking statements
are based on reasonable assumptions, including assumptions that:
the Transaction will complete; Lebowa will continue to achieve
production levels similar to previous years; Anooraq will be able
to complete its financing strategy on relatively favourable terms;
and the Ga-Phasha and Platreef Project exploration results will
continue to be positive. Forward looking statements however, are
not guarantees of future performance and actual results or
developments may differ materially from those in forward looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in forward looking statements include market
prices, exploitation and exploration successes, changes in and the
effect of government policies with respect to mining and natural
resource exploration and exploitation and continued availability of
capital and financing, and general economic, market or business
conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are
not guarantees of future performance and those actual results or
developments may differ materially from those projected in the
forward looking statements. For further information on Anooraq,
investors should review the Company`s annual information form filed
on http://www.sedar.com/ or its form 20-F with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and its other home jurisdiction
filings that are available at http://www.sedar.com/. DATASOURCE:
Anooraq Resources Corporation CONTACT: on Anooraq and its South
African properties, please visit our website
http://www.anooraqresources.com/ or call: Joel Kesler, Executive:
Corporate and Business Development, Office: +27 11 779 6800,
Mobile: +27 82 454 5556; Russell and Associates, Charmane Russell,
Nicola Taylor, Office: +27 11 880 3924, Mobile: +27 82 372 5816,
+27 82 927 8957; Investor Services, North America, 1-800-667-2114
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