Toyota SA closed for talks

Kok said the company was "still in talks" with striking workers and union representatives.

The strike contagion spread to the motor industry this week‚ when workers failed to turn up for work at Toyota's Durban factory for the second shift on Monday‚ in what the company called "mass absenteeism".

This was having a major impact on the country's image‚ motor industry representatives said‚ and could affect South Africa's ability to attract further automotive investment. Toyota negotiated a three-year pay deal with workers just last year.

The news comes after Ford's Asia Pacific boss Joe Hinrichs spoke on Tuesday of the company's "frustration" with stoppages in South Africa.

Toyota is South Africa's biggest vehicle manufacturer and can build 220 000 vehicles a year.

The reason for the strike was not immediately clear‚ but it appeared the dispute was to do with a R3.22 per hour premium "some skilled workers" were paid.

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa's spokesman Castro Ngobese confirmed the stoppage and said that the union's general secretary‚ Irvin Jim‚ was in talks with Toyota management and workers.

Kok said the current pay deal was supposed to expire "mid way through 2014".

It was not immediately clear how many vehicles the firm had failed to produce as a result of the strike.

Kok said the plant would have been affected from Monday in any event because of the ongoing truck drivers' strike.

"There would have been some work to do on Tuesday‚ but the line would have had to stop anyway‚" Kok said.

Even if a settlement is reached today‚ it is unlikely that the line will be able to restart immediately‚ meaning that Toyota will have lost almost an entire week of production.