‘Hotel California’ could crisp you
JUKSKEI PARK – Substation offers great living quarters, the drawback is lethal voltage.
If you are looking for accommodation you need look no further than a substation in Jukskei Park. The place is available for free. The only problem: the cables at one end could burn you to a crisp, literally. Residents Sandor Brachner and Heidi Edwards explain that the door to the substation has been unlocked for about three or four years and until recently, a homeless man was living inside. He has since moved out.
The room is spacious, at about 5x5m in area and comes with a comfortable mattress, a pillow, books, a set of car keys, a candle, posters of beautiful women and a body board. “[The previous occupant] lived in comfort,” Brachner admitted. “It was ‘Hotel California’.”
Brachner claims that he used to work as an electrical engineer, designing substations for private companies. He says that one of the cables in the substation, running from the floor to the ceiling about 1m from the mattress contains 11 000 volts of electricity, and that if it was open and you touched it “you will just burn”.
Brachner explains, “11 000 volts will burn you so bad you will be unrecognisable,” he said. “If you’re lucky, you will die quickly and not burn so much.” Edwards’ main concerns are that any dangerous person could move in, or young children might hurt themselves in the substation. The residents claim to have asked City Power numerous times for the door to be locked. City Power spokesperson Sol Masolo did not respond to questions sent to him by the time of going to print. Ward 115 councillor Chris Santana said that he did not know about the substation but he will follow up with City Power that the situation is attended to.
Details: City power 011 375 5555, Ward 115 councillor Chris Santana csantana@global.co.za, 082 416 7714.
