No, white vehicles in the street are not evidence that the Johannesburg explosion was staged

By: Arron Williams
August 1 2023

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Context

According to the BBC, an explosion occurred in Bree Street, Johannesburg, on 19 July 2023. The force of the explosion split the main road open, resulted in one death, and wounded 48 people. Officials suspect that the cause of the explosion was a ruptured underground gas pipe.

Users on TikTok have claimed that the explosion was staged because the footage contains only white vehicles on the streets. They have also claimed that the explosion was caused by illegal mining or an attack by Russia or the United States.

In Fact

There is no evidence that the explosion in Johannesburg was staged, and most of the white vehicles seen in the footage are minibus taxis.

Footage taken from street level in the explosion's aftermath shows the minibus taxis in more detail. Many of the taxis have identifiable markings that are part of the SA Taxi brand design, and the company’s website features images of taxis matching the vehicles' design in the footage of the explosion. 

The South African media outlet SABC News interviewed representatives from the National Taxi Alliance and SANTACO, a regulatory body representing the taxi industry, who explained that the explosion has majorly impacted taxi businesses. The street in question is one of the busiest routes for the taxi industry in Johannesburg, which has been severely disrupted by the explosion. The National Taxi Alliance representative also stated that 24 taxis suffered damage from the blast. 

While reports state the explosion occurred on Bree Street, the street was renamed in 2015 to Lilian Ngoyi Street. Google Maps and Street View images from June 2023 reveal several taxi ranks lining the street, which are heavily occupied by white minibus taxis. This confirms that it is extremely common for such vehicles to be present where the explosion occurred and that their presence is not evidence that the explosion was planned.

The cause of the explosion is still unknown. According to the BBC, a preliminary inquiry did not establish the cause of the blast, and investigations are ongoing. Officials state a possible gas leak is still the focus of investigations. There is no evidence that the explosion was planned, caused by illegal mining, or was an attack orchestrated by Russia or the United States. 

The Verdict

There is no evidence that the explosion in Johannesburg was a staged or planned event. The white vehicles captured in the explosion footage are taxis common to the area. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.