Bereaved Boksburg families are receiving trauma counselling at the Angelo informal settlement, East of Johannesburg. 17 people lost their lives following a cylinder gas leak on Wednesday.
The gas cylinder was discovered at a shack used to conduct gold processing from illegal mining.
Ekurhuleni MMC of Community Services, Bridget Thusi says the deceased are from Mozambique and Zimbabwe. She says her department is considering engaging the victims’ respective embassies for burial plans.
“The mood is very sombre. They don’t know what to do because I mean, it’s a huge number. One lost six family members and the other one, it’s four. So, they’re making arrangements in terms of taking them to their countries of origin and which is in this case, Mozambique and Zimbabwe,” says Thusi.
“So, we’re in the process of just figuring out and seeing whether we must get the embassies involved in terms of assisting with the burial,” she adds.
Boksburg Gas Leak | Possible causes of the ordeal:
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) is calling for government accountability after 17 people lost their lives after a gas cylinder leak at the informal settlement.
Eight men, six women and three children including a one-year-old were confirmed dead after inhaling noxious fumes from the leaking cylinder.
Ten people remain in hospital including a two-month-old baby.
Sanco Provincial Convener, Matlakala Abram Mashishi says government needs to act to end illegal mining before more lives are lost.
“We have been calling this thing for quite some time, for the Department of Minerals and Energy and for law enforcement to close all these illegal mines. I am not sure how many more lives must be lost before government can take action.”
Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says the province is under siege from illegal miners.
