Families living near an ATM bombing in Meadowlands Zone 8, Soweto, say they are living in fear after the blast damaged their homes early Wednesday morning.Ntombezinhle Hadebe, 23, said she was asleep when she heard a loud explosion at an Engen garage where two ATMs were bombed.
“I was deep in my sleep when I heard a big bang. It felt like an earthquake,” she said.Hadebe said she immediately called the police after hearing the explosion but was concerned that officers did not check whether residents had been injured. The blast damaged several nearby homes, leaving residents with broken windows.
Her uncle, Mthunzi Hadebe, said the family heard two cars speeding away before discovering that three windows in their eight-bedroom house had been shattered. The damaged windows have since been covered with plastic and cardboard to keep out the wind.
Another seven-bedroom house opposite the garage also suffered damage, with seven windows reportedly broken in the blast. The owner, who lives with three grandchildren, said the family initially thought they were being robbed and hid in the bathroom after hearing the explosion and breaking glass.
The woman said her grandchildren began crying because of the frightening sound. She added that the family depends on social grants and is worried about how they will afford to repair the damage. “It’s raining now and all my windows are damaged. How will we survive?” she asked.
Community members said the incident has increased existing concerns about crime in the area. Thabang Rapelang said residents feared the damaged homes could make them more vulnerable to criminals, adding that the bombing had left the community feeling exposed and unsafe.
