Residents in parts of Gauteng reported feeling ground shaking on Tuesday evening after a possible seismic event near Soweto.
Early data suggests the tremor occurred at around 20:36, with the first reports coming in from Johannesburg and surrounding areas. The event has not yet been officially confirmed by a seismic agency.
According to monitoring site VolcanoDiscovery, “a possible earthquake might have occurred near Johannesburg” at the time.
Reports of shaking across Gauteng
Initial reports indicate light shaking was felt across a radius of up to 30 – 40km, with isolated cases reported even further away.
The first alert was logged within seconds.
“The first report about ground shaking reached us after only 35 seconds,” the site noted.
At least 14 people submitted reports, with most coming from Johannesburg, Randfontein and Krugersdorp.
The tremor was classified as having a shaking intensity of III near the epicentre.
Unconfirmed earthquake
The event remains unverified, and key details such as magnitude are still provisional.
“We are receiving unverified early reports of ground shaking, possibly caused by seismic activity,” VolcanoDiscovery said on Tuesday night.
More accurate information is expected once official seismic agencies assess the data.
Details of tremor
Date: 28 April 2026
Time: (local) 20:36 (GMT+2)
Status: Unconfirmed
Magnitude: Unknown (approx. 3.0)
Depth: 10 km
Location: Near Johannesburg / Soweto
Shaking intensity: III (relatively weak)
Reports received: 14
