By Ed Stoddard

November 14, 2017 - South Africa's state-run power utility Eskom said on Monday it had healthy stockpiles across its coal-fired power stations and was building them further ahead of a potential coal wage strike by the National Union of Mineworkers.

"To mitigate the impact from this impending strike, the utility is working tirelessly to reclaim coal from current stockpiles, as well as build up operational stockpiles," Eskom said in an emailed response to Reuters' queries.

NUM is aiming to strike from Sunday after wage talks broke down last week at mines run by Anglo Coal, Delmas Coal, Exxaro, and Glencore, which account for about half of South Africa's coal production.