Union leaders have signed a wage deal with South Africa's biggest platinum mining companies, ending the nation's longest-running strike. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has agreed deals with Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Anglo American Platinum. As a result workers' salaries will increase to 12,500 rand a month by 2017. The AMCU's striking members will return to work today. The chief executives of the three mining firms said in a joint statement, the road ahead remains a challenging one and it will take some time for our operations to resume full production.