“A brave resident managed to find the cylinders. According to him, they were open and he closed them, but later residents realised a lot of people had collapsed.”
Mawela spoke of the challenge of policing areas such as Angelo, citing this as the reason police were unable to reach the scene sooner.
He confirmed they had conducted searches in other parts of the settlement, but not where this incident happened.
“Personally, I have walked another part of this area and unfortunately this side was not covered. But it's not [the first time I've been here]. I came here with the minister of police [Bheki Cele]. I told him Angelo is not policeable. It is a mess.”
Mawela said no arrests had been made, but police had details about those believed to have had possession of the cylinders suspected to have been the source of the leak.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
This area is not policeable: Cops explain delayed response to Boksburg gas leak
Image: Alaister Russell
Gauteng police have blamed inaccessibility to parts of the Angelo informal settlement for their delayed response to Thursday's gas leak that killed 17 people.
Eleven others were hospitalised after nitrate oxide was said to have leaked from a cylinder used by zama-zamas operating in the area.
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, Ekurhuleni mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana and Gauteng police top brass were among officials who visited the site after the tragedy.
Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela outlined residents' versions of events on Newzroom Afrika, while praising a resident for shutting off the gas and preventing further deaths.
“Yesterday [Wednesday], residents started smelling something funny. According to them, it smelt like rotten eggs and they could [identify which shack it was coming from]. They raised the alarm and other community members responded.
‘Deploying army to fight the scourge of illegal mining won’t be easy’, says Lesufi
“A brave resident managed to find the cylinders. According to him, they were open and he closed them, but later residents realised a lot of people had collapsed.”
Mawela spoke of the challenge of policing areas such as Angelo, citing this as the reason police were unable to reach the scene sooner.
He confirmed they had conducted searches in other parts of the settlement, but not where this incident happened.
“Personally, I have walked another part of this area and unfortunately this side was not covered. But it's not [the first time I've been here]. I came here with the minister of police [Bheki Cele]. I told him Angelo is not policeable. It is a mess.”
Mawela said no arrests had been made, but police had details about those believed to have had possession of the cylinders suspected to have been the source of the leak.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
MORE:
We are under siege and I don't think we have a plan: Lesufi on illegal mining
EDITORIAL | Illegal mining must be addressed and regulated before there are more deaths
Illegal mining must be eradicated: Gauteng portfolio committee after gas leak claims 17 lives
IN PICS | ‘It was painful picking up their bodies’: relatives of Boksburg gas victims
Tambo hospital treating patients for gas inhalation as deadly leak claims 17 lives
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos