SPRINGS – A devastating explosion has ripped through Slovo Park, an informal settlement in Springs, Ekurhuleni, leaving a trail of destruction and rendering dozens of residents homeless. The incident, which occurred on Friday, 4 July 2025, has prompted angry calls for the removal of illegal miners, known as Zama Zamas, from the area.
While the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation, community members allege that it was triggered by explosives stored by Zama Zamas within their shacks. The area has become notorious as a hotspot for illegal mining activities.
Ekurhuleni EMS spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed that emergency services were initially alerted to a shack and a car on fire. However, upon arrival, they discovered that a massive explosion had occurred. "There was a heavy explosion, and there are some other materials that need to be investigated by the SAPS bomb squad," Ntladi stated. "There were lots of corrugated roofing sheets that were thrown all over the place. There's lots of damage to the nearby structures, but in terms of casualties, there's no one that we can account for."
One RDP house was completely flattened by the blast, and numerous others sustained significant damage. The force of the explosion was so intense that roofs were blown off and windows shattered in surrounding houses. Several residents sustained injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals by ambulance.
An affected resident, Emili Letswalo, recounted the devastation, saying, "I need help. I'm not working. We still don’t understand what happened." Letswalo explained that her house's ceiling collapsed, windows were broken, and the garage door was also damaged. Many other residents reported similar damage to their homes.
The owner of the flattened house is reportedly receiving medical treatment in hospital. William Ntladi confirmed the explosion, stating, "The SAPS bomb squad is to determine the type of explosions, and we understand three people had been taken to the hospital in private car."
The incident has ignited fury amongst residents, who are now demanding the immediate removal of Zama Zamas from the area. They have vowed to evict the illegal miners from the house where the explosion originated.
This tragedy comes as communities in Ekurhuleni are already reeling from other recent fire incidents. Last weekend, two people, including a two-year-old baby, perished in Snake Park, Nigel, after an inferno engulfed their home in Alra Park. Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department spokesperson Katlego Mphahlele said that firefighters found a four-roomed shack fully engulfed in flames.
Community members were desperately fighting the inferno. “After the flames were put out, firefighters began search and recovery efforts as there were concerns that there may be casualties trapped inside,” said Mphahlele.
Two bodies were discovered in the burnt remains of the shack. “The victims were identified as a 22-year-old male and a two-year-old baby, both of whom were burned beyond recognition,” she said. An eight-year-old child managed to escape the blaze, with minor burns and was taken to Pholosong Hospital for medical treatment.
Last month, six family members perished in an inferno in Ekurhuleni, as fire consumed their shack at the Marikana informal settlement. City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi said only one family member survived the blaze. “The home of seven family members was destroyed by fire, all of them trapped inside while sleeping overnight, and only one escaped with critical burn wounds,” said Ntladi.
As the cold weather persists across Gauteng, authorities have urged communities to exercise extreme caution when using heating appliances.
The explosion in Slovo Park has once again highlighted the dangers associated with illegal mining activities and the urgent need for authorities to address the issue.
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