PRLog (Press Release) –
Apr 17, 2008 – Sources say that a recent report by ForGold stated that South African’s deepening power crisis apparently forced their government to introduce electricity rationing, which resulted in the world's largest gold and platinum mining companies to shut down operations in protest.
According to ForGold’s report, the move to drastically cut power consumption came as the cabinet described a fortnight of rolling blackouts to millions of homes and businesses as a "national emergency" amid warnings that the electricity shortage will go on for years.
One of the world's largest gold mines, Driefontein, near Carletonville, with 16,000 ForGold workers, was among those that closed operations along with others owned by the world's three largest gold mining houses, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and Harmony. The two biggest platinum mining companies, which account for more than half the global supply, also ceased production in protest, driving precious metal prices to new highs with platinum rising nearly 5%.
