The world's largest platinum producer, Angloplat, says that the majority of its striking workers have now returned to work even though it has yet to reach an agreement over a new pay deal.

Angloplat revealed that while the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is continuing to press for industrial action among its members, it has seen a steadily increasing number of strikers return to work.

"This morning a majority of NUM members were back at work," Angloplat spokesman Mike Mtakati told Reuters.

The NUM has so far held out on Angloplat, although other unions such as Solidarity have now agreed to new pay deals.

For their part NUM officials deny suggestions that the strike action is drawing to a halt, with deputy secretary Archie Palane speculating that Angloplat may have been misled by a small number of miners who returned to the mines mistakenly thinking the strike was over.

Mr Palane insisted that the strike was being widely observed, adding that informal discussions were ongoing with the platinum producer.

Angloplat is the only major platinum firm left facing strike action after Implats agreed terms with the NUM on pay rises earlier this week.