Users of gas for cooking and heating have been warned that illegally filled LP gas cylinders can be extremely dangerous and can put children at risk.
The liquefied petroleum (LP) gas market is currently under a potentially dangerous threat from unauthorised dealers illegally filling gas cylinders which could result in serious accidents.
According to the chief executive of the LP Gas Safety Association of South Africa, Kevin Robertson, unauthorised dealers do not use properly certified equipment in the refilling process which is an extremely dangerous practice.

Cylinders should only be filled to 80 per cent of their capacity to allow for expansion and many unauthorised refillers do not have the knowledge or specialised equipment to ensure that this limit is not exceeded.

Equally, underfilling below the 80 per cent level might not be dangerous but does constitute fraud.
Mr Robertson said legally filled cylinders could be identified by a branded safety seal displaying the logo of the gas supply company. The logo on the seal should be the same as the logo carried on the cylinder itself.
Illegally filled cylinders often carry a seal with the words “LPGAS” or a blank plastic seal or no seal at all.

Homeowners, he said, should ensure that when they take their empty cylinders for filing or exchange, that the dealer they go to is an authorised refiller.