Tremor felt across SA
According to various sources and reports over social media, the earth tremor was felt from roughly 10:15, with reports coming from as far as Botswana.
Initial reports show that the epicenter of the quake was in the Klerksdorp mining area. The US Geological Survey said the tremor was centred in Orkney, 120km southwest of Johannesburg, an area with a high concentration of gold mines.
According to the Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program website, the earthquake measured 5.3 on the Richter Scale at a depth of 10km and happened at 12:22:34pm.
The South African Weather Service has confirmed the event, saying they have received reports from Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.
Gauteng Weather tweeted that the tremor was felt as far north as Pretoria down to parts of Vereeniging and may have been felt in neighbouring provinces including the North West and the Free State.
Emergency workers say one person has been confirmed dead.
"A 31-year-old man was found deceased in an old mining village in Orkney, in the North West," said ER24 spokeswoman Luyanda Majija.
"He was found lying under some debris."
Emergency workers were at the mining village, searching for mineworkers presumed to be trapped in 11 shafts. Majija could not immediately confirm the name of the mine.
Online Earthquake reporting service Earthquake Tsunamis reported the following on their Twitter account:
5.3 earthquake, South Africa. Aug 5 10:22 at epicenter (19m ago, depth 10km). http://t.co/toiukVo59l
— Earthquakes Tsunamis (@NewEarthquake) August 5, 2014
Zim has tremor everyday, called Mugabe RT: @nqobilebhebhe: Tremor felt in Gaborone and Joburg around 12:22pn and not in Zimbabwe...WHY WHY?"
— McIntosh Polela (@toshpolela) August 5, 2014
I felt that tremor in Heidelberg, more than 50km from the Joburg CBD #Tremor
— Wesley Botton (@wesbotton) August 5, 2014
Soon we'll get a press statement from political parties @shsmillie blaming each other for the #tremor
— Monica Laganparsad (@Monickan) August 5, 2014
Even Wenger felt it. #tremor pic.twitter.com/yu3516IULC
— Matthew Savides (@matthewsavides) August 5, 2014
Here is what you had to say on Facebook: