Johannesburg – Another person has been added to the list of Boksburg tanker explosion victims, bringing the death toll to 41.
The news was shared by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll in the Christmas Eve blast had risen once again.
Lesufi took to Twitter to provide an update on one of the biggest tragedies of 2022.
This latest update comes after Lesufi briefed the media from the Sci-Bono offices last week on some of the latest developments in the investigation of the blast.
Last week, the Gauteng Department of Health held a healing service in memory of the 12 health-care workers from Tambo Memorial Hospital who were among those who died in the explosion or in hospital afterwards.
Lesufi said the investigation had been completed and the docket had been forwarded to the relevant authorities for a decision.
The gas tanker exploded under a low-lying railway bridge in Boksburg, just a few metres away from the Tambo Memorial Hospital. The explosion destroyed the bridge, parts of the Tambo Memorial Hospital as well as homes, cars, and private property and infrastructure.
Lesufi offered his condolences to the affected families.
Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela said last week that the police would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the victims' families got justice and that those responsible would be held accountable.
Mawela said the driver and the truck company would face charges of reckless and negligent driving, damage to property, culpable homicide, possible contravention of laws on the transport of hazardous goods, among other charges.
Independent Media reported that radio station Jacaranda FM had donated R200 000 to the victims of the blast.
The Star