JOHANNESBURG (AFP) -- Tens of thousands of mineworkers downed tools in South Africa on Tuesday in a one-day strike over safety standards, accusing their bosses of putting lives at risk for the sake of profits.
In the first stoppage by the National Union of Mineworkers, or NUM, since the end of apartheid, production was affected at mines nationwide with some owners saying that barely 5% of the normal workforce was reporting to duty.
Many of the stayaway workers gathered for rallies organized by the NUM as part of the drive to cut the level of injuries and fatalities in South Africa's mines, where around 200 people die every year.
Many of the protesters in Johannesburg carried banners saying the owners of the country's 700 mines were "dripping in blood" as they pursued profit at the expense of safety.
NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said members of the country's biggest union wanted to see dramatic reductions in the level of fatalities.
"Our safety concerns have not been addressed by our employers over the years. This protest is aimed at achieving this key goal of ensuring safety for all miners in South Africa," he said.
The country's Chamber of Mines has acknowledged that much needs to be done to improve safety but insists there is no complacency within the industry.
Its chief executive Zoli Diliza set out plans in October to reduce fatality rates by at least 20% by 2013, acknowledging South Africa's record fell way short of other mining giants such as Australia, Canada and U.S.
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Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI: GFI) , another of the country's biggest mining firms, reported up to 94% absence at one of its mines.
"We have just got early estimates that just under 70% of our employees at our four South African operations did not report for work today," said spokesman Andrew Davidson.
"The largest stayaway is at our Kloof mine where up to 94% of the employees did not report for the morning shift. Obviously this will affect our production."
Union chiefs have said strike action could be intensified if employers do not make significant inroads into the levels of mining fatalities.
Concerns over safety reached a new peak in early October when some 3,200 miners were stuck underground in a gold mine southwest of Johannesburg for more than 24 hours after a lift cable snapped.
The incident led President Thabo Mbeki to order a security audit of the mines in the country.
Mining, which generated 195 billion rand ($28.5 billion) in local sales last year, is the largest foreign exchange earner for South Africa and brought in a total of 355 billion rand from exports.