LEANDRA – Mr Zakhele Mthabela (31) was overjoyed when he was accepted for an apprenticeship at Govan Mbeki Municipality’s three-year Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) programme from 3 November 2014.
This apprenticeship was going to change his life financially and would enable him to build a life-long career.
Mr Mthabela is originally from Vryheid, but moved to Leandra, where he is sharing a place with a friend in order to begin the apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships are based around the concept of young people working under and/or learning from a craftsman or a qualified tradesman.
“A group of us were sent to the eMbalenhle mini-substation near the police station, with a man who was allegedly not a qualified electrician. I remember the day, it was a Monday,” said Mr Mthabela.
He was severely injured on 28 August 2017.
Due to the extent of the injury, Mr Mthabela’s right thumb was amputated.
“On the day, one of the acting artisans was called out to see what happened at a mini-substation, but he realised that the damage was very bad and returned to the office to speak to the acting supervisor at the time, a qualified artisan. He dispatched a group of apprentices with a handyman, who was apparently not a qualified artisan,” said Mr Mthabela.
“We were told that they would switch off the main transformer and would call us once it was off. A few minutes later, I received a call on my cell phone that is was safe to work on the mini-substation,” said Mr Mthabela.
“The handyman told me to put my hand on the bearing to check the nut, remove it, clean it and replace it.”
But just as he put his hand onto the bearing, the substation got power from an underground transformer that was allegedly illegally connected.
At that moment, Mr Mthabela saw fire and was shocked and blacked out.
When he came to, he was in a municipal van with a safety representative and the acting artisan.
He asked them what had happened to him, but they did not respond.
He caught his reflection in the rear view mirror and saw that his face was burned and he blacked out once again.
Mr Mthabela came to on the Thursday in the ICU ward of the Milpark Hospital.
He could not speak for two weeks because he had a tracheostomy, a surgical cut that goes through the front of the neck into the trachea, to assist with breathing.
He spent about three months in Milpark Hospital where he underwent a skin graft and rehabilitation.
He received further treatment until 25 January this year.
Mr Mthabela was told by two of the other apprentices in the group that a former high-ranking councillor spoke to them and promised that he would be permanently employed by the municipality once he came out of hospital, completed his apprenticeship and was trade tested.
Mr Mthabela returned to work and was on light duty while he completed his apprenticeship.
After Mr Mthabela performed light duty work and completed his apprenticeship in May last year, he spoke with a supervisor in eMbalenhle about the job that he was allegedly promised.
He was told to wait until he was trade tested. He then visited the HR manager, but the manager was not aware of his condition or the promise that was made by the previous mayor.
They advised him to request a letter of motivation for employment from the senior electrical technician at eMbalenhle, but he later dismissed his request.
Mr Mthabela was trade tested, passed and qualified as an electrical engineer in October last year.
Mr Mthabela claimed that he spoke to the new municipal manager, Mr Simon Felani Mndebele, and gave in his CV with a letter of motivation.
At the end of November last year, Mr Mthabela met with Ms Thanda Zulu, former director of technical services for the municipality, and her deputy.
Mr Mthabela has to indicate on his CV that he is disabled, cutting his chances of employment.
He expressed his difficulty with his hand and the restrictions he has to now live with.
The newspaper contacted the municipality for comment.
Mr Benzi Soko, Chief of Staff at GMM said: “The municipality is investigating the matter and responses will be forwarded to the media once we have the relevant information.”
