According to police spokesperson, Stephen Thakeng, the police are aware of the allegations making rounds on social media that there was an explosion in the area, however, nothing was reported to the police. 

“According to our records of Virginia Police Station, no incident or nobody reported and thus far no case registered.” Residents reported an explosion and "shaking of the ground" on the day in question and moments later, a huge cloud could be seen kilometres away.

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According to Goldfields Crime & Traffic’s Facebook page, the explosion appeared to have happened at a mine shaft vent at Harmony Gold Mine, with the "possibility that it is a methane gas explosion". Several Facebook users commented, saying that the closure of old shafts to keep out illegal miners "can cause the accumulation of methane gas, which can potentially be very harmful". "I saw that from the location," a resident Abby Mahlatsi said on Facebook. "It's the pressure that comes directly from a closed mine hole from underground." She speculated that gases form underground which causes seismic activity at the same time. "It is not safe at all. The ground may collapse in some areas, like the (explosion) that damaged houses and left Meloding in Virginia with nothing but poverty.

OFM News has since attempted to get in contact with Harmony Gold Mine to establish what caused the explosion.

OFM News