Joburg residents who stay around Bree Street in the Johannesburg CBD, where the explosion happened late on Wednesday afternoon, are frustrated over the lack of water and electricity. Water and electricity supply in the area were cut off during the explosion, which left one person dead and more than 40 injured. There was a heavy police presence at the scene this afternoon with emergency service personnel stationed at the scene with three fire engines. Egoli Gas was also at the scene conducting investigations. However, movement is restricted and only people who live in the surrounding buildings are allowed access to the area. Water tanks and mobile toilets were delivered to assist residents whose buildings don't have water.
LEAVING THE AREA
A young couple that stays at a building a few metres from where the incident took place, said they were moving out on Monday because they felt unsafe. Simlindile Mbatha and Sibusiso Mkhwanazi, who are originally from KwaZulu-Natal have been staying in the building for three months. Sibusiso said no one has come forward to explain anything to them. "Police just came to check if there were any casualties on the first day, after that we got text messages from the city to confirm the safety of the building and we were also told we would be getting permits to easily access the building," he said. However, Sibusiso said that he was ready to move out because their groceries were ruined as a result of the explosion. "Our food is ruined, we have no electricity, and no water but we know that at the end of the month, the landlord will be expecting full rent," he said.
LOCALS STILL SCARED
Taxi drivers and shop owners working around Bree said they are still shaken about the gas explosion. Lungisani Nxumalo, a taxi driver, said he fears for his life because he spends every day at the rank. "I was at a far distance eating but from where I was standing, I felt the ground shake. Suddenly there was panic and I was told that there was an explosion and some taxis were damaged. At first, I was reluctant to go there but I had to check on my brothers from the taxi industry," he said. Nxumalo said he is frustrated because the taxi rank is a three-storey building and anything can happen. "I fear for my life and it's clear that we are not safe and anything can happen any day," he added. A shop owner who only wanted to be identified as Ishmael said business has been bad since the day of the explosion. "People are not allowed to come to this side, the only people who buy are those who stay in these buildings but it's not enough because, on this row alone, there's three of us, so it's challenging," he said. Investigations into the cause of the explosion are continuing.
