A suspected gas leak in South Africa has claimed the lives of 17 people, including three children, in an informal settlement in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.
According to local officials, the victims died from gas inhalation, and police have warned residents to stay clear of the area as the scene remains hazardous. Forensic investigators continue to assess the site.
Authorities have linked the incident to illegal gold mining activities in the area. Gases are often used by illegal miners—known locally as zama zamas—to extract gold from soil taken from abandoned mine shafts. One of the gas cylinders was discovered leaking in Boksburg’s densely populated Angelo shanty town.
Officials said the victims were found within a 100-meter radius of the leaking cylinder.
“The scene was heart-breaking… the bodies were scattered literally everywhere,” said Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of the Gauteng Province.
Emergency services fear that more bodies may be found as rescue operations continue. Twelve people are currently receiving medical treatment, with one reported in critical condition.
One woman from Mozambique, who lost her husband in the tragedy, told the BBC she was devastated and unsure how she would return his body home, as she is unemployed and he worked part-time as a handyman.
Boksburg, part of Johannesburg—often called the “City of Gold”—sits atop a vast network of abandoned mine shafts stretching hundreds of kilometres. Many illegal miners from countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique occupy these shafts to extract and refine stolen gold.
Residents said they had noticed a foul smell coming from one of the shacks on Wednesday evening. Soon after, people living nearby began collapsing.
Mr Lesufi said that locals had pleaded for help from the army and police to drive the illegal miners out of the area. “We need a tactical unit to police this kind of crime. Illegal miners are normally very heavily armed,” he stated.
This latest tragedy follows a devastating gas tanker explosion in Boksburg on Christmas Eve last year, which killed 41 people.
Authorities continue to investigate the latest incident, as calls grow for tighter controls on illegal mining operations and hazardous materials in residential areas.
