UPDATED
Boksburg – At least 16 people have died in a gas leak at the Angelo informal settlement outside Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
A nitrate oxide cylinder was found Wednesday night outside one of the homes leading investigators to believe the gas leak was the cause of the deaths.
Witnesses said the deaths began at about 17:30 when residents inhaled the gas.
First responders including the South African Police Service, EMS, firefighters, forensics, and other services were on the scene, where bodies – including minors and women – were found.
There were also suggestions that the dead were illegal miners – better known as Zama Zamas.
But police said that theory was unlikely because some of the dead included women and children.
Investigations were continuing.
Initially, the number of the dead was placed at 24 but it was later revised downwards to16 after some of the collapsed individuals were revived.
Commenting on the tragedy, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Gauteng conveys its “heartfelt condolences” to the families of the people who lost their lives and wishes a speedy recovery to the 11 who are hospitalised.
“It is also strongly suspected that the gas leaked from a nitrate cylinder used by illegal miners in their nefarious operations,” said EFF.
“This catastrophic event should bring to question the role of the companies that have for years plundered both the mineral and human resources without any commitment to the economic reparation and environmental rehabilitation of the people and the land on this continent.
“While illegal mining should be condemned with no reservation, the role of these capitalist mafias in the mining sector, their intentional refusal to rehabilitate the land and their participation in the illicit gold market certainly cannot be ignored.”
The EFF said it was also worth noting that this tragic event was not the first of its kind to visit the people of Boksburg.
“It follows the tragic gas tanker explosion which claimed many lives last year in December and the earthquake just a few weeks back,” the EFF lamented.
“We appeal to society, the national, provincial, and local government to provide all the resources available to help out in this tragedy.
“The EFF slams the lazy response by the South African Police Services(SAPS) after being informed of the issue as soon as it occurred. State emergency services should at all times be the first to respond in such situations.
“We call on the government to dispatch emergency teams for assistance, as more other people could still be affected by the gas leakages and we also call for the relocation of the residents to a much safer area to mitigate against further damages.”
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep sadness to the devastating and tragic loss of innocent lives at the Angelo Informal Settlement.
“The President extends his heartfelt condolences to the families that have lost loved ones,” said Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President.
“President Ramaphosa has described this as a very sad morning.
“He further urges investigators to get to the bottom of what may have caused this accident to avoid similar disasters in future.”
