Scenes at the Angelo informal settlement. Picture: Ntombi Nkosi.
Johannesburg - The EFF Gauteng has conveyed its “heartfelt condolences” to the families of the 17 people who lost their lives and wished speedy recovery to the 11 hospitalised due to inhalation of what seems to be nitrate gas in Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg.
This incident took place on Wednesday, July 5, around 5.30pm, where people inhaled what is suspected to be a nitrate gas used for mining activities and died on the spot. It is also strongly suspected that the gas leaked from a nitrate cylinder used by illegal miners in their operations.
According to EFF provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga, the catastrophic event should call into question the role of the companies that he said have for years “plundered both the mineral and human resources without any commitment to the economic reparation and environmental rehabilitation of the people and the land on this continent”.
“While illegal mining should be condemned with no reservation, the role of these capitalist mafias in the mining sector, their intentional refusal to rehabilitate the land and their participation in the illicit gold market, certainly cannot be ignored.
“It is also worth noting that this tragic event is not the first of its kind to visit the people of Boksburg; it follows the tragic gas tanker explosion that claimed many lives last year in December and the earthquake just a few weeks ago.
“We appeal to society, the national, provincial and local governments, to provide all the resources available to help out in this tragedy.”
Dunga added that the EFF slams the “lazy response” by the SAPS after being informed of the issue as soon as it occurred. State emergency services should always be the first to respond in such situations, he said.
“We call on the government to dispatch emergency teams for assistance, as more people could still be affected by the gas leakages, and we also call for the relocation of the residents to a much safer area to mitigate against further damages.
“The EFF conveys its heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones, and we wish speedy recovery to those in hospitals.
“The EFF will avail itself to the victims of this tragic occasion, and we commit to providing all the necessary assistance that could be required,” said Dunga.
The Star