By: Natasha Archary
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has approached the Mozambique Consul General to seek assistance in the repatriation of the Boksburg gas leak victims.
Fourteen Mozambican nationals were killed in the gas leak tragedy in the Angelo Informal Settlement in Boksburg last week.
A total of 17 people, including 3 children lost their lives after toxic nitrate oxide gas tankers leaked, causing them to suffocate.
Families who lost their loved ones, say they have been told it will cost between R8 500 and R15 000 to repatriate their bodies to their home country.
The DA says families are in desperate need of financial assistance to give their loved ones a dignified burial.
“DA in Gauteng has written to the Mozambique Consul General seeking assistance to repatriate 14 deceased bodies of the victims of a nitrate oxide gas leak.
The Gauteng Provincial Government had promised to assist the victims’ families in burying their loved ones, however, to date, nothing has happened.
Instead, they only donated food parcels.
The victims’ families are in desperate need of financial assistance to transport their deceased family members to Mozambique for dignified burials.”
Community members say illegal mining activities in the area have resumed, and police patrols only lasted a day after the incident occurred.
Illegal miners reportedly used the nitrate oxide gas to extrapolate gold from the soil, and there are fears that more lives will be endangered if illegal mining is not stopped.
The DA says it will further engage with Premier Panyaza Lesufi, MEC Mazibuko and other relevant stakeholders to find a workable solution to curb illegal mining in Gauteng.
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