Sanral white powder scare
MIDRAND - Sanral's Midrand offices were evacuated for the second time in one week on 24 January.
Reports of another envelope containing a suspicious powder have been found at Sanral in Midrand.
In a press statement, the agency’s spokesperson Vusi Mona said, “Another incident has occurred at the Central Operations Centre this afternoon, 24 January. A powder containing a suspicious powder was found at the centre’s offices. The e-toll system is fully operational today, only the call centre are affected.”
On 21 January a suspicious powder, which was suspected to be anthrax, was found at the centre’s offices, but officials have since ruled out anthrax.
The centre’s offices have been evacuated again. No reports of injuries or what the substance is have been given.
24 January, 2pm:
MIDRAND – Sanral’s Midrand offices were evacuated for the second time in one week on 24 January.
On 24 January, the offices were evacuated again after a second envelop of white powder was found in the offices.
In the afternoon of 21 January the offices were first evacuated after a white substance was found in an envelop in the offices.
Emergency services are on scene and the road to the offices has reportedly been closed.
It is unknown what the substance is.
22 January, 10.48am:
Electronic Toll Collections (ETC) officials have ruled out anthrax as the white substance found at Sanral’s offices in Midrand.
However, the substance still remains unknown.
An anthrax scare was reported at Sanral’s offices in Midrand on 21 January in the afternoon. It is reported that 37 people who were at the offices yesterday were decontaminated and taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
On Wednesday morning ETC CEO Jamie Surkont reported that “Sanral is back to operating in full capacity, employees are back at work”.
21 January, 5.30pm:
It was reported that the Sanral offices in Midrand have been evacuated.
Sanral has evacuated its Central Operations Centre in Midrand on 21 January due to an anthrax scare.
Netcare and Emergency Services ambulances quickly responded to the scare. Police were keeping any media and a few Sanral employees from entering the main gate. The offices were evacuated after a white substance was found on the premises.
Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said, “Our priority is to ensure everyone’s safety at the centre.”
It was reported that the e-tolling system would be offline as a result of the anthrax scare. No injuries have been reported and there was no information about the substance found.
21 January, 17.09pm:
The building was evacuated on the afternoon of 21 January after reports of an anthrax scare.
Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona told a radio station that “the e-toll system will be affected as there is no one in the Sanral offices to man the system. All staff have been evacuated”.
The scare comes after the gantries went live on 3 December.
Ambulances are reportedly on the scene. No injuries have been reported so far.
