It’s neither a gas leakage nor the zama zamas that caused the massive gas explosion in the Johannesburg CBD on Wednesday evening.
The initial report suggested that the explosion was caused by a gas leakage, a theory which was denied by Egoli Gas. Egoli Gas released a statement denying speculation that the blast was caused by the gas leakage.
While some shifted the suspicions and suggested that the explosion could be caused by the deterioration of infrastructure, others suggested zama zamas could have a hand in this.
But the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has poured cold water on those rumours. In a statement released on Thursday, the department said the blast was not caused by illegal mining.
DMRE’s Ernest Mulibana said the department has noted the devastation caused by an explosion in the Johannesburg City Centre and can confirm that there are no old mines in the area at which the explosion occurred. “The DMRE is confident that investigations led by the relevant authorities which include the Gauteng provincial government and the City of Johannesburg will be able to ascertain the actual cause of the tragedy,” he said.
“The DMRE regulates and promotes legitimate mining operations in South Africa and has a record of all legally operating and non-operating mines. The department is steadfast in ensuring that all licensed mining operations comply with the provisions of the law.”
He said the department stands ready to cooperate with the relevant authorities in finding the actual cause of the explosion.
So it is still unclear what caused the Johannesburg CBD explosion.
With the authorities from different departments on the ground trying to establish the cause of the explosion, fear grips some people residing in the inner city.
Speaking to residents in the area, some say they wish to move out of the city but they have nowhere to go.
Patrick Skosana, who stays in one of the flats where the explosion happened just outside, said after the blast on Wednesday, he struggled to sleep at night. He said he thinks he could be swallowed by Mother Earth. “What happened here is scary. I am scared of staying here but I have nowhere else to go.”
In a separate incident in the city of Johannesburg, a man died in a suspected illegal mining explosion in Braamfischerville, Soweto.
The City of Johannesburg, Emergency Management Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said the explosion resulted from dynamite that was connected to a vehicle battery. Khumalo confirmed that one person died and two sustained injuries. “One person has died from injuries sustained from the explosive and another one was rushed to hospital,” she said.