[2] In the aftermath of the Marikana massacre, workers at KDC West – formerly known as the Driefontein mine and by then the west section of KDC – entered an unprotected strike on 9 September, seeking a wage increase, among other demands.
[4][3] Imitating the Lonmin workers at Marikana, Gold Fields strikers gathered and held vigil on a hill near to the mine.
[5] Gold Fields ordered the striking workers to vacate the mining hostels, where it said they had intimidated other workers and planned criminal activities;[5] the hostels were later raided by Gold Fields private security, supported by SAPS.
[6][7] On 12 October, over 70 Gold Fields miners were arrested for public violence in connection with the strike.
[12][6] However, an ultimatum[8] failed to end the strike at KDC East and led Gold Fields to fire 8,100 workers there; most of those fired were later reinstated when the KDC East strike finally ended in early November.