On Wednesday, a gas leak in an abandoned mine near Boksburg, South Africa, resulted in the tragic deaths of 17 people. This included three children, who lost their lives due to the toxic nitrate oxide gas. The gas was leaked from a cylinder in the Angelo informal settlement, typically used in illegal mining activities.
Authorities Respond
Emergency teams discovered the cylinder leakage after receiving a call on Wednesday evening. Initially, authorities reported a death toll of 24 but later revised it down to 16. Unfortunately, a 17th victim succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng province, confirmed this news.
Illegal Mining Activities
Johannesburg’s landscape is marked by heaps of soil and vast pits, remnants of mining companies extracting gold since the 1880s. These defunct mines attract “zama zamas,” illegal miners who risk their lives to retrieve raw gold dust. Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela visited the area, expressing concern about illegal mining activities and the community’s reluctance to report these incidents to authorities.
Solly Nonyane, a traditional leader in the area, confirmed that the gas leak resulted from illegal mining by zama zamas, many of whom are undocumented foreigners.
Mining-Related Earthquakes
Boksburg experienced a 5.0 magnitude earthquake last month, suspected to be linked to the labyrinth of underground tunnels and shafts associated with illegal mining in the region. The Council for Geoscience reported that South Africa, though not famous for substantial seismic activity, has a history of significant tremors and earthquakes, mainly around the mining belt.
Professor Andrzej Kijko of the University of Pretoria’s Natural Hazard Centre explained that mining causes considerable underground stress factors, activating natural fault weaknesses and leading to earthquakes. He stated that 95% of South Africa’s tremors are mining-induced.
Previous Incidents Highlight the Danger of Mining Activities
Another devastating incident occurred in Boksburg on December 24, 2022, when 41 people died due to a fuel tanker explosion near Tambo Memorial Hospital. The truck, transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), got stuck under a bridge. Following a series of small explosions, a massive fourth explosion affected buildings up to 400 meters away and could be felt as an earth tremor 4 kilometers away.
The truck driver was arrested, released due to insufficient evidence, and now awaits the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision. These recent catastrophes—gas leak, earthquake, and truck explosion—highlight the dangers associated with mining and illegal activities in South Africa. The incidents underscore the crucial need for communities to report unlawful activities, increased vigilance by authorities, and improved safety measures to prevent further tragedies.
