Anglo American Platinum CEO Chris Griffith said earlier this week that comparisons should not be made between the salaries of educated, skilled executives and workers with few or no skills and limited education.
"Am I getting paid on a fair basis for what I'm having to deal with in this company?" Griffith was quoted as saying in the Business Day newspaper.
"Must I run this company and deal with all this nonsense for nothing? I'm at work. I'm not on strike. I'm not demanding to be paid what I'm not worth."
Griffith, his 11 executives and top management have also been awarded a potential 76 million rand in "skills retention" and performance bonuses over the next three years.
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"Over and above their unusually obscene salaries, top management get paid out in share options and share dividends that come to millions of rands," it said.
"My choice of words was inappropriate and a poor way to describe the extremely challenging situation we find ourselves in.
"Further, the seemingly insensitive timing of bonus scheme announcements has been determined by (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) reporting regulations coinciding with the prolonged strike.
"I want to reassure your readership that I care deeply about the impact of this strike on the lives of our employees, their families and communities.