Valuable koi die during power outage in Bonaero Park
Cassidy desperately tried reviving them by blowing into their mouths
A Bonaero Park resident lost two of her 30-year-old koi fish, valued at about R28 000 each, during a prolonged power outage in the suburb.
Cathleen Cassidy (75) desperately tried to revive the fish during the 20-hour outage but without success.
The power went off at 7pm on July 10 and was only restored the next day at about 2.30pm. Cassidy said she was told by ward committee members the outage was caused by contractors who damaged an underground cable.
The fish died as a result of lack of oxygen, as the pond’s motor was also down. Only one koi survived.
Cassidy tried everything she could to keep the two fish from dying, from blowing into their mouths to running a hosepipe in the pond.
“I knew they were dying. They would swim for a minute before turning on their sides again. I later had to turn off the hosepipe as the pond overflowed and flooded my garden.
“Normally, I would use my generator but it was broken.”
In a letter written to the City of Ekurhuleni, she said: “I want people to know that through your complete carelessness you did this. I learned you were mending water pipes and cut through electric cables. Where were the plans of the pipe layout? Where were your supervisors?
“I want to be compensated for my koi. I spent hundreds of thousands of Rands on the pond and had special food imported from the UK.”
Cassidy is a formidable animal lover and also has numerous rescue dogs, a cat and a chinchilla.
“My animals are like my children, since my own children are overseas. I would immigrate if it wasn’t for them, but I can’t find it in my heart to leave my animals behind.”
Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the metro, confirmed that a contractor working for the City in Bonaero Park hit an 11kV electrical cable, resulting in a power outage in the area.
