S.Africa's Amplats says Rustenburg security worsens

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Anglo American Platinum

on Tuesday asked workers to stay away from its Rustenburg mining operations in South Africa after the security situation in the area had worsened.

Only 20 percent of its Rustenburg employees have been reporting for work in recent days after thousands joined illegal wildcat strikes which have held the mining industry at ransom.

Amplats said in a statement it intended to resume operations in Rustenburg on Wednesday. It also said that workers at its Union Mine in the northern Limpopo province have refused to go underground.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Flak; editing by David Dolan)

((agnieszka.flak@thomsonreuters.com)(+27 11 775 3154)(Reuters Messaging: agnieszka.flak.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: SAFRICA MINES/AMPLATS