JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — AngloGold Ashanti has begun the process of firing 12,000 miners on a wildcat strike who defied a deadline to return to work, the latest mass firing of South African mineworkers on illegal strikes over wages. The employees, primarily from AngloGold Ashanti's mines in the West Wits region northwest of Johannesburg, face dismissal proceedings after failing to turn up to work by noon Wednesday, company spokesman Alan Fine told Reuters. "While the ultimatum has passed, and the dismissal process has started, management remains in dialogue with employees," AngloGold Ashanti said in a statement. More from GlobalPost: Is South Africa nationalizing its mining industry? On Tuesday, Gold Fields sacked 8,500 wildcat strikers at its KDC East mine who ignored an ultimatum to return to work.