Bomb that killed worker might be Boer War remnant

The bomb that killed a Pretoria father and critically injured three farmworkers is believed to be a remnant from the Second Anglo-Boer War.

On Wednesday, 24-year-old Welbekend farm worker David Sithole was killed when the bomb, which he was trying to cut open with an acetylene torch, exploded.

Colleagues Jabu Mahlangu, Moses Mahlangu and David Masilela suffered severe burns from the blast .

The bomb had been brought to the group by a man and a woman who found it on a nearby rubbish dump.

Tshwane emergency services sources yesterday confirmed that they were called to the scene to decontaminate the area after an unidentified yellow powder was scattered across the explosion site.

A police source said the powder is believed to be picric acid, a c hemical with which the British charged shells during the late 18th and early 19th centuries .

"We know the bomb was from before the World War 1 because shortly before that war the British military started using TNT in their munitions."

Picric acid was used in Lyddite bombs until shortly before World War 1 broke out.

He said the scene had been decontaminated.

"Bomb disposal experts were sent to the area and war historians will discuss the possibility that other bombs are in the area."

Police spokesman Constable Zanele Vilakazi said forensic and explosive experts were awaiting the results of the analysis of the yellow powder.

"The injured men are in a serious condition in hospital," she said.