WATCH | Five things to know about recent tremors in Joburg

Two earth tremors have hit Joburg south just days apart and no injuries were reported. The first tremor was felt on Friday night while the second one hit in the early hours of Monday. 

Mahlatse Mononela, Council for Geoscience spokesperson, provided five things people need to know about the recent tremors:   

1. Because SA is a mining country, we do experience minor earth tremors that are caused by mining activities. This could be the result of blasting that occurs underground.
2. These earth tremors usually have a magnitude of less than 3.0 on the Richter Scale. This means that they aren't dangerous and they do not pose a risk to infrastructure or housing property. 
3. “Because these tremors occur regularly, we propose the inclusion of seismic-proof implementations in building codes so that there isn’t any structural damage in the long run. As it is, our buildings are strong and can accommodate tremors of a 3.0 magnitude,” said Mononela.   
4. Tremors usually occur at shallow depth, mostly above 3km and are not tectonic. 
5. SA's tectonic plates are relatively safe and stable. Tectonic earthquakes are sparse by virtue of SA being on an intraplate stress regime.