The streets of Johannesburg were filled with thousands of striking miners on Tuesday that protested over safety standards. They were accusing their bosses that they put profits first and safety of their workers last.

Almost 30,000 protesters, members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), protested outside the Chamber of Mines in the city center to ask for greater safety measures, CNN News reports.

This protest comes after 226 miners were killed in a mine in September.

The production was affected at mines all over the country and some owners said that only a small number of employees showed to work.

According to Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini, a spokesman for Johannesburg police, the number of the protesters was estimated by the police at about 5,000, but he said that the number could be of 30,000.

He said that there were no events during the protest and that nobody was arrested.

This is the first industry-wide strike in the history that hit the mining sector.

Protesters in Johannesburg carried banners that were saying the owners of the mines were "dripping in blood" at the expense of their safety, AFP informs.

Union spokesman, Lesiba Seshoka said: "There are thousands of thousands of people here; we are very excited by this turnout. The message is clear: We need action.”

South Africa is the biggest producer of gold and platinum with some of the deepest mines in the world.

Members of the union are saying that little is done for their safety. Around 200 people die every year in the mines of South Africa. The death toll in 2007 has already surpassed the figure of 2006 by 27.

The protesters gathered at the Library Gardens en route to the Chamber of Mines.

Mining companies said that they are also concerned about the safety standards.

According to David Brown, chief executive of Implats, the platinum mining firm, the first priority in the firm is the safety.

He said: “Whilst our safety performance in financial year 2007 was disappointing, our record shows a steady improvement over the previous five years."

Concerns about the safety in the mines gained awarness when in October 3,200 miners remained stuck for more than 24 hours in a gold mine after a lift cable snapped.

This incident made President Thabo Mbeki to order for a safety audit in all the mines in the country.