A general strike started to take hold across South Africa yesterday, hitting some gold mines, car production and rail transport as workers protested against massive unemployment and poverty. However, in other mines and other sectors, the walkout appeared generally low-key. A spokesman for AngloGold Ashanti, the world?s second largest gold producer, said most of its workforce had failed to turn up, although it was not clear how this would affect production. ?There?s a pretty comprehensive stayaway from National Union of Mineworkers members,? spokesman Alan Fine said. These made up most of the company?s workforce, he said.

Trade union umbrella group COSATU, allied to the ruling African National Congress, said the one day strike, to include demonstrations the unions hope will bring South Africa?s largest cities to a standstill, would be followed by further strikes if government and industry did not act.

?We cannot say the economy is booming when we have unemployment at around 40 percent,? COSATU spokesman Patrick Craven said. ?We want a completely different mindset from business ? saving jobs instead of cutting them for short term commercial gain.? But COSATU?S call to down tools did not appear to have as deep an impact as the unions might have hoped.