Joburg City explosion caused by gas: City Manager

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The City of Joburg Manager, Floyd Brink, says the explosion along Lilian Ngoyi Street, formerly known as Bree Street, in the CBD of Johannesburg was definitely caused by gas.

Brink, however, could not confirm what kind of gas it was.

He says by Monday electricity and water will be restored.

Brink has also confirmed that the structural integrity of the building adjacent and around the epicentre are sound.

“Our EMS teams have completed an assessment between Lillian Ngoyi and Loveday streets. However, it was discovered that the tunnel has got some form of structural integrity and is deformed and not stable and may collapse at any given time as a result of movement of crossing of the road specifically towards the CJ Cronje building. This area has now been barricaded for the safety of motorists and pedestrians,” says Brink.

The explosion ripped apart a stretch of the road sending taxis, vehicles and pedestrians up in the air.

Brink says of all the 48 people admitted to various hospitals to be treated for injuries, only three remain in hospital.

Meanwhile, legal expert, Jim Scholtz believes the family of the deceased man including those who sustained injuries in the Joburg CBD explosion on Wednesday stand good grounds to litigate against city authorities.

34-year-old Joseph Dumisane, a street vendor from Chiwawa in Malawi died in the explosion, while 48 others were injured.

“The families will have to proof that they are claiming for damages as we call it in law. So, they will need to satisfy these elements, which are wrongful faults, causation and loss. If this innocent person who was killed by a blast was a breadwinner and they depended on him, then they will have to prove that the ignition or explosion caused the death of the person.  I don’t think that will be too difficult,” says Scholtz .

Chiwana’s family has asked for assistance to repatriate his remains to Malawi: