Boksburg blast: Some victims’ families hope lawsuit ensures incident won’t happen again

JOHANNESBURG - Some families of the deceased victims from the Boksburg explosion are hoping the newly filed R65 million lawsuit against the entities they deem responsible ensures this incident never happens again.

On 24 December 2022, a truck carrying about 6,000 litres of highly flammable gas was trapped under a low-lying bridge on Hospital Road in the east of Johannesburg.

The explosion killed 41 people and injured many others.

ALSO READ: Families of Boksburg blast victims accuse municipality of negligence

Families of the deceased and some of the survivors are now suing the trucking company, the labour broker of the driver, and the City of Ekurhuleni for negligence.

It’s been about three years since the Boksburg explosion and there have been no arrests, prosecutions or even fines for the entities involved in the tragedy.

Geraldo Geduld lost both his son and wife in the explosion.

Geduld said on some days he is retraumatised by viral images on social media of his son with his skin severely burnt.

“For me, obviously with my background being an engineer, I would like to see some structures put in place to prevent something similar happening. You know, it was a bit unnecessary to lose so many lives.”

Geduld has since left Boksburg and moved back to the Eastern Cape to be closer to his remaining family.

WHEELS OF JUSTICE

A mother who lost four children in the Boksburg explosion said she hopes the lawsuit will get the wheels of justice moving.

Rosetta Brits, who was sitting in her home when the explosion happened, said she first thought it was an earthquake; however, the thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky confirmed that it was something far worse.

Panicked that her children were outside playing, Brits left her house barefoot and headed to the scene of the explosion.

Once there, Brits found the burnt remains of our her children.

“You know, it [the money] will never bring my kids back to me but the company, that guy, he doesn’t need to be working; he needs to be punished like he punished people’s family members.”

The unemployed woman, who shares a home with her 14-year-old child, said the teen cannot start high school since she doesn’t have money for scholar transport.