Boksburg blast: Lawyers of survivors, victims’ families worried lawsuit could be protracted

JOHANNESBURG - Lawyers representing the survivors and families who lost loved ones in the 2022 Boksburg explosion said their fight for justice in a fresh lawsuit could be frustrated by drawn out processes.

A R65 million lawsuit was recently filed in an attempt to hold to account entities the families of the victims and survivors believe are to blame for the deadly explosion.

Forty-one people were killed and many more injured.

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Earlier in 2025, former Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo issued a directive for all civil matters to first undergo mediation before being assigned a trial date to address the sheer volume of the court roll.

Shortly after the explosion, LHL Attorneys hit the ground running, gathering evidence from witnesses, survivors and the families of deceased.

Almost three years later, they’ve put together civil action featuring 67 plaintiffs, including people who suffered life-altering injuries and lost breadwinners from the explosion.

With the new court directive for mediation, associate attorney Gabrielle Berkowitz said that this is going to be a long fight.

“What we will really have to do is make sure that our clients are comfortable with a settlement offer. That’s the primary concern if we get it but it’s too early to say whether or not they will accept a certain figure.”

The City of Ekurhuleni said it’s aware of the lawsuit and has reserved its right to defend itself.