Taxi drivers recall moment of terrifying CBD blast

A witness to Wednesday’s explosion in the Johannesburg CBD has called on government to improve road maintenance as he described the moment the street cracked open and vehicles flew into the air.

A lengthy portion of Bree Street burst open, causing chaos and panic among residents and motorists after an apparent underground blast. One person was found dead under an overturned vehicle and 48 others were injured, of whom 12 remained in hospital on Thursday.

The cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, but Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said gas was the likely  reason.

A taxi driver who witnessed the incident, Teacher Lamani, told TimesLIVE he had just offloaded passengers and was getting ready to pick up a new group during the afternoon peak-hour commute.

“As I was about to get out the car, I heard a loud sound right next me. I thought it was a bomb. It was like the city was falling apart.

“Everyone was running away, cars were flipping.”

Lamani said he is grateful to have survived unscathed.

“Luckily, the car next to mine and the angle of the cave-in where I was in the street kept my taxi balanced and prevented it from turning upside down, unlike others that flew into the air.”

If something positive could come from the incident, it would be for the authorities to improve the roads network and maintenance in the city. 

Car washers in the city centre often let water gush down the street, he said.

Another taxi driver, Mxolisi Khubeka, also told SowetanLIVE of his lucky escape.

His vehicle, full of passengers, shot into the air when the so-far unexplained explosion occurred, landing on another taxi.

“The car went up into the air and landed on another taxi. I think that taxi saved us, because we didn’t land on much impact.”

Authorities are working to ascertain the cause of the explosion and have closed roads around the blast site while damage assessment is under way. People from flats in the area were relocated for safety. The area is without electricity until the go-ahead is given for substations to be switched back on.

TimesLIVE