Heartbroken Boksburg mother buries her 4 children who died in gas tanker explosion

Johannesburg - The series of funerals for more than 30 people who were killed in a Christmas Eve tanker explosion continued in Boksburg on Thursday with the burial of four siblings who died as a result of the blast.

Jamel Eales, 16, Gerrie Brits, 10, Sebastian Brits, 14, and Adrian Brits, 12, were caught in the explosion that affected their street and some surrounding streets in Plantation, the scene of the explosion.

Their mother, Rosetta Brits, watched the coffins of her children line up to go inside different hearses following their last church service at the Thrive Bible Church.

She failed to say much at the funeral, but a grief counsellor spoke on behalf of her and the family, saying: "Losing a child is inexplicable to any mom. Some moments she smiles, but in most she cries, and at times she sees nothing at all."

Four streets were heavily affected by the explosion, including Willow street, Railway street, North Street, and Hospital Street. The houses on Hospital Street were bustling with residents, families, and non-governmental organisations hoping to offer comfort to those who had lost loved ones in the explosion.

In some instances, families lost more than one relative, while in other circumstances, houses had been badly damaged with broken windows, doors, and cracked walls.

Some residents felt lucky to be alive, while others are completely prepared for a process of relocation just to get away from the trauma of the explosion. To seek comfort, some families placed the personal belongings of some of those who died on the spot where their bodies were found; this included things like teddy bears and school shoes. There were also flowers and rocks in certain places.

After the explosion, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the Angel Network assisted in the clean-up and repair process. The organisation's executive director, Glynne Wolman said she was heart broken by the devastation. She said the Angel Network had been on the ground since day one of the incident offering counselling, food, and other essential items to help the affected residents of Plantation.

"We are here because of the horrid gas explosion that took place on the 24th of December. It has been horrendous; there are no words to describe what we have seen here together with the Jewish Board of Deputies. We have assisted with the funding and other forms of support," Wolman said.

Clive Mashishi, who has also been on the streets with the Angel Network to ensure that the families are cared for in their time of need, said he had been touched by the spirit of Ubuntu that he had witnessed as people from all walks of life came together to grieve and heal following the explosion.

"We have fixed some of the homes that are affected, and till today we are still fixing some of the windows. All of these families touched me – it is hard to lose one person, but you can imagine, this is a quiet community, they never expected this," Mashishi said.

As families mourn, police and EMS were also in search of some people who had been missing since the explosion. It has been reported that a body part of a person was found near the site of the explosion on Thursday, with the number of those who died expected to increase.

The Star

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