S.Africa's NUM union: Northam strikers back to work Weds

Jan 21 (Reuters) - South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers said on Tuesday over 7,000 of its members would return to work on Wednesday at mid-tier platinum producer Northam Platinum NHMJ.J , ending an 11-week strike.

The union said last week it had accepted a two-year wage offer from Northam which would lift basic wages between 9.8 and 11.8 percent, roughly double the inflation rate of 5.3 percent.

The final agreement was signed on Tuesday.

This comes just as a far bigger strike by NUM rival the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) looms on Thursday against the world's top producers of the precious metal, Anglo American Platinum AMSJ.J , Impala Platinum

IMPJ.J and Lonmin .

(Reporting By Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Ed Stoddard)

((zandi.shabalala@thomsonreuters.com))

Keywords: SAFRICA STRIKES/NORTHAM