Global miner Anglo American, hit by violent strike action in South Africa, said on Friday that Cynthia Carroll was stepping down as chief executive. "It is a very difficult decision to leave, but next year I will be entering my seventh year as chief executive and I feel that the time will be right to hand over to a successor who can build further on the strong foundations we have created," Carroll said in a company statement. Anglo American said Carroll would remain in the post until the appointment of her successor. The announcement of her decision to stand aside comes a day after Anglo American slashed its forecast for annual platinum production amid deadly strikes at the group's troubled South African operations. Carroll had earlier this week urged South African authorities to restore order. Last week, she met South Africa's mining and finance ministers while a mass wage-hike strike crippled production at Anglo American's Platinum unit.