Police adamant someone will be held responsible for Boksburg tanker explosion

Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela believes the driver of the gas tanker that exploded in Boksburg on December 24 will be held responsible for the incident. 

The 32-year-old driver was released from police custody pending further investigations.

Mawela was answering journalists at a conference to update the media on the Boksburg explosion alongside premier Panyaza Lesufi, health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and co-operative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Mzi Khumalo.

Thursday marks 20 days since the tragic Boksburg tanker explosion.

Mawela said the charges against the driver included reckless and negligent driving, malicious damage to property (because public and private property was damaged), culpable homicide and there was a possibility to add more charges.

He said they would be guided by the prosecutor.

“There is a possibility that an inquest will be held and thereafter culpable homicide may change to murder but it is the decision of the courts,” he said.

Mawela said police have obtained statements from more than 40 witnesses but there were outstanding key exhibits which they believe will assist them to finalise the investigation. This includes the postmortem reports.

He said the Ekurhuleni fire department report and the requested documents including the statement from Infinite Fleet Transport were still outstanding.

“They said they [Infinite] are still consulting with their legal department and when they are ready they will give that to us but it doesn’t mean we are going to wait indefinitely for them,” he said.

He said if the police feel there is an unnecessary delay they may also summon the company to provide those documents to the court. They have also compiled a memorandum which goes with the docket to the senior state prosecutor to make a decision.

“We compiled a memorandum and next week Monday the case docket will be handed over to the senior state prosecutor for decision. The decision which we are expecting is that surely somebody is going to be held responsible for this.”

Lesufi said the provincial government will leave no stone unturned as they continue to stand with many families whose lives have been changed forever.

“It leaves me numb that since the last update we gave on Wednesday January 4, we have lost three more people. This brings the number of the deceased from this terrible incident to 40, according to the latest update,” he said.

He said the provincial government was ready to walk the journey with the families and assist them.

There are five people still in hospital and 23 have been discharged, he said. “Our report is based on the confirmed numbers, it might change as we get more confirmations from the facilities.”

Lesufi said of the eight EMS personnel injured during the explosion, six had been discharged while two remain in hospital.

Due to the urgent nature of the works, the department of infrastructure development appointed a contractor on December 26 to repair the doors and windows at the Tambo Memorial Hospital. 

He confirmed that construction work for the replacement of broken windows at the hospital, including the nurse’s residence has been completed.

“Some of the work is almost complete, after delays because of the festive period break. Due to the extent of the damage, the casualty unit at the hospital remains closed.”

He said he was made aware that some of the affected families are considering or are taking steps to institute a class-action suit.

“They are well within their rights to pursue whatever means of recourse available to them within our legal system. This, however, does not mean that government must not pursue the matter to its logical conclusion. We owe it to the many lives that have been lost and the many people that have been injured, including the many affected families, to see that justice prevails.”

The provincial government continues to provide support to the affected families in the form of trauma debriefing services, he added.

“The City of Ekurhuleni community development workers are conducting door-to-door visits in the area to identify and refer affected families who have not yet received assistance following the explosion.”

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