Johannesburg - The 32-year-old truck driver who caused the deaths of at least 18 people, among them staffers at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg, is expected to appear in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court later today.
He faces multiple counts of culpable homicide, negligently causing an explosion that resulted in death, and malicious damage to property.
His appearance in court comes a day after Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development, Lebogang Maile visited the Tambo Memorial Hospital to assess structural damages to the facility following this weekend’s tanker gas explosion that has claimed 18 lives.
Maile has provided a preliminary report on an investigation of the damage done by the department during a visit to the hospital.
Maile said the facility did not suffer extensive damage following the explosion, adding that electrical repairs would cost about R18 million and that the damage was limited to casualty, emergency, theatre, and X-ray units where doors, windows, and ceilings were affected.
On Saturday, members of the community woke up to a gas tanker truck that had gotten stuck under the low-level bridge in Boksburg. It is reported that the leaking gas resulted in the explosion, which killed 18 people and left scores injured, including hospital staff and patients. The explosion happened just 100 metres from the hospital.
It is reported that the truck carrying LPG gas exploded after the driver tried to drive under a low-lying bridge.
The MEC said a contractor has already been identified in order to undertake immediate repairs to light fixtures, cables, cable channels, and other related electrical issues.
"We have already appointed contractors to do immediate things like windows and doors, and we are in the process of appointing other contractors for other issues," he said.
He said his department will be guided by the health department during this time of structural repairs to the facility’s infrastructure.
"The MEC for Health will make a determination, working with the clinicians, whether we will close the hospital or not. From the infrastructure point of view, we will be able to do our work even if patients are here because we always cordon off those areas that we are working on and proceed with the work. So we will be guided by the department of health," Maile added.
The Star