The eThekwini Municipality has clarified that an explosion in the Durban CBD was not caused by gas.
This comes after a video circulated on various social media platforms, purportedly showing a gas explosion in the Durban CBD over the weekend.
Explosion
A municipal spokesperson confirmed the incident, at the corner of Dorothy Nyembe and Anton Lembede streets, was not gas-related, but the result of electrical cable arcing.
“Arcing refers to an electrical discharge or spark that occurs when electricity jumps between damaged conductors. In this case, the spark and visible flare stemmed from minor cable damage, and not from ageing infrastructure.”
“Crucially, there were no injuries, fatalities, or disruptions to electricity supply in the area. The municipality’s Energy Management team was immediately dispatched to the site, swiftly containing the situation,” the spokesperson said.
The eThekwini Municipality has urged residents to rely on official communication channels for verified updates and to refrain from sharing unconfirmed reports that may cause unnecessary alarm.
Gas explosion in Durban CBD this evening. pic.twitter.com/JW200E9kke
— lukaymatty (@lukaymatty97) December 6, 2025
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Tampering
In July 2025, one person was killed in a fatal explosion related to suspected electrical infrastructure theft in KZN.
The eThekwini Municipality said the fatal explosion occurred at a substation at 873 South Coast Road in Jacobs, where one person died.
Theft and vandalism were suspected to be the cause. It was also reported that the area had been secured, and power would be restored once the substation was isolated.
Fatal explosion
The municipality at the time said its Energy Management Directorate was deeply concerned following another fatal explosion.
“The incident tragically claimed the life of a person whose body was discovered at the scene. Preliminary reports suggest that the deceased may have taken advantage of an active work site where a water pipe was undergoing repairs”.
Acting Director of the Energy Management Directorate, Philani Shange, said they are growing increasingly concerned about the rapid rise in alleged sabotage of critical electrical infrastructure.
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