Last week, a municipal employee found himself at the bottom of an open grave.
Mr Frank Diphoko was preparing a grave for a burial at the Potchefstroom Cemetery when he became light headed while still inside the deep hole.
“He became dizzy because of the heat,” says Mr Oupanyana Moabi, who was with Diphoko when he fell and hit his head against the side of the hole. Moabi was the one who helped Diphoko out of the grave.
According to his manager, Mr Augustine Monau, Diphoko suffered a slight head injury.
Monau says the injury-on-duty paperwork has been completed and Diphoko was immediately taken to Medi-Cross, where he received the necessary treatment for his injuries.
He was subsequently given one day’s sick leave.
“The injury was not that serious. The leave grant was just a precaution for a further possible dizzy spell,” he says.
Weather forecasts predict extremely hot weather for Potchefstroom this week and employees should, therefore, take precautions and drink lots of water and wear a hat outside.
Diphoko was lucky to escape with just a minor injury, but it could have been a more serious case had he been at the mouth of the grave when he fell.