The Congress of South African Trade Unions in North West province says it will protest against planned job cuts at Impala Platinum in Rustenburg.

"Cosatu North West is deeply disappointed to hear that Impala Platinum is retrenching 13,000 workers in the next two years at Rustenburg," the labour federation's provincial secretary Job Dliso said.

"This comes while the nation is struggling with triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality."

He said Cosatu had resolved to work with the National Union of Mineworkers to organise massive protest action on August 17, to press Impala Platinum into abandoning the retrenchment plans.

Impala Platinum announced on August 2 that it would cut the jobs over a two year period as part of restructuring at its Rustenburg operations, and that it would move from 11 shafts to six shafts.

Dliso called on both provincial and national government, particularly mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe, to engage Impala on the issue.

"These retrenchments will exacerbate an already worse situation of employment in the province and the country," he said.

"We call upon workers to be united and more vigilant in fighting jobs losses, especially in mining sector."