Verulam – Dark plumes of smoke that billowed from manholes in Verulam, north of Durban, on Sunday left residents perplexed.

Private security company Reaction Unit SA posted footage of the smoke emanating from underground on social media platforms, which drew comments like “witchcraft” and “volcano” from locals.

Reaction Unit SA’s Prem Balram said a team from the fire department was dispatched to investigate the incident.

WATCH: Dark plumes of smoke which emanated from manholes in Verulam, north of Durban on Sunday left the town baffled.
Video:Reaction Unit SA@TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/VUG0blWNqG

— Suthentira Govender (@SuthentiraG) August 17, 2020

Balram said dense smoke had been emitted from “several manholes” in the central business district of the town.

“Reaction Unit SA received the call of a fire from several taxi commuters near the Verulam Market at about 5pm.”

He said his team found smoke billowing out of three manholes, but there was no fire.

Balram said he was waiting for an update on what caused the mysterious smoke. – TimesLIVE