IFP statement on the gas explosion in Braamfontein

6 September 2023

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Gauteng notes with sadness yet another gas explosion fire that injured five people, in Braamfontein, Johannesburg on Tuesday, 5 September 2023.

The cause of the gas explosion remains unknown and under investigation. However, it must be noted that the City of Johannesburg’s emergency services confirmed that the gas explosion emanated from one of the Egoli Gas underground pipelines. The IFP Gauteng is concerned that incidents of gas explosions and fires are increasingly becoming a common occurrence in the City of Johannesburg. This is the second gas blast to hit the city in less than two months, with the City again being caught unaware and unprepared.

These explosions not only cause harm to affected residents, but also damage critical infrastructure, causing major disruptions to the flow of traffic and economic activity in our country’s economic hub. Prevention measures against these tragic incidents can - and should - be prioritised through thorough maintenance of the city’s various underground pipelines and other hazardous infrastructure.

The IFP Gauteng therefore urges the City of Johannesburg to be more diligent in ensuring that proper preventive maintenance is carried out on a regular basis.

We further wish a speedy recovery to the five people who sustained injuries during the explosion.

Issued by Bonginkosi Dhlamini, IFP Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, 6 September 2023