The Council for Geoscience can confirm that an earthquake occurred in the East Rand gold mine area on the 26 April 2018, at 08:26am South African Standard Time. The earthquake registered a preliminary 3.1 on the local magnitude scale as determined by seismograph stations of the South African Seismograph Network operated by the Council for Geoscience. The Council for Geoscience has immediately deployed seismologists to establish and confirm the basis of the event.

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State-funded Council for Geoscience wants to undertake a geological mapping of the whole of SA but needs R20bn over 10 years to complete the project.

Less than 5% of the country is covered by geotechnical maps of a 1:50,000 scale, which provides the most clarity of geological resources.

The country has been fully covered in terms of 1:1,000,000 and 1:250,000 scale maps, and the aim is to cover it entirely with 1:50,000 scale maps.

CEO Mosa Mabuza noted that Namibia, Canada and Australia had fully mapped their countries with 1:50,000 scale maps and combined had attracted about 40% of the global mining exploration budget.

"Exploration activity is attracted by the availability of geological information. It is important to invest in the geosciences today to secure the future that we seek," Mabuza said. Mineral explorers required maps on a scale of 1:50,000.

An earthquake occurred on the 28th January, 2018, at 18:03 South African Standard Time, on the Indian Rift at 53.10°S and 9.49°E approximately 2200 km southwest of Cape Town, with a moment magnitude of Mw~6.5. This event was located and analysed by partner networks in the Indian Ocean Tsunami warning System, e.g., Geofon Potsdam, Germany.

The mechanism of the earthquake is interpreted as strike slip hence, also considering the moderate magnitude and distance to the South African coast, the probability of a tsunami at South Africa is deemed insignificant. There have since been two more earthquakes (possibly aftershocks) that have been reported to have occurred in the same area in the past 11-12 hours. The two earthquakes could be linked to this one and also caused by the same mechanism. The locations of these earthquakes (as indicated above) are still to be reviewed by a seismologist.

For media enquiries please contact Mr Ian Saunders on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Tel: 012 841 1456