A strike is a form of protest whereby a group of employees withhold labour in order to pressure employers into granting a particular demand. (Cambridge Dictionairies)

Causes and effects of strikes in South Africa:

Causes
- Lack of transformation, mutual respect, trust, and socio-economic equity (SABC, 2014).
- Dissatisfaction with pay or working and living conditions.

Effects
- Companies: financial losses, reduced productivity, profitability and market share, and delayed service delivery.
Employees: no work means no pay.

Example and Description of a Strike that made Headlines in the Media:

The Marikana miners' strike took place in 2012 at a platinum mine owned by Lonmin in Marikana , South Africa. It begun over a wage dispute, whereby miners demanded a 300% increase in their monthly wage, as compensation for being ‘exploited’ through dire living conditions, dangerous working conditions, and poor pay. The strike was headed by two rival trade unions, the AMCU, and the NUM, and this is believed to have encouraged violence as each union fought to win the wage battle. (Chapple & Barnett, 2012)
On August 12, When Lonmin failed to meet with employees as requested, 3000 rock-drill miners walked off the job in protest, and refused to work until their demands were met. Striking turned violent, and police used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the strikers, who were growing increasingly aggressive and armed with machetes. The strike then made international headlines on August 16, when police opened fire and killed 34 protesting miners, deeming it a “Marikana Massacre”

Sensemaking

Sensemaking is the attempt to make sense of an ambiguous situation. It is a process of creating ‘situational awareness’ in order to support decision making in times of uncertainty and complexity. This entails making an effort to understand the interrelationships between people, places,