High mast light falls and injures four men in eMbalenhle

Four men were rushed to hospital after a high mast light fell on them at Ext 17, eMbalenhle, on Saturday, August 28.

According to a hawker who was selling his goods nearby, the men were sitting on the concrete base of the high mast light.

The hawker saw the light suddenly coming down with speed and it was too late for the men to escape.

The men were badly injured.

“I saw the men collapse. When I went to investigate, I saw that they were unconscious with blood gushing out of their heads and noses,” the hawker said.

“I could not believe my eyes. I never thought a high mast light can just fall out without being taken down by either the municipality or service providers. I am still in shock,” he said.

“This accident made me nervous because I often see children playing around these lights,” said the hawker.

The injured men were rushed to the hospital by Ms Ouma Mkonza. A local clinic referred them to the hospital because their injuries were severe.

Residents said the steel pole that held the high mast light was in poor condition because it was left open and cables were stolen.

They suspect that wind caused the light to fall, because the high mast was always shaking on windy days.

Families of the injured men said they will wait for them to recover to hear what had happened. They will then decide what action to take.

Mr Donald Green, acting head of communication at the Govan Mbeki Municipality, said the municipality did not receive a report of people injured by high mast lights.

He said the only report received, is about the vandalism of municipality infrastructure.

“Several high mast lights were vandalised, specifically at eMbalenhle. Communities must look after their infrastructure because vandalism leads to unnecessary death or injuries.

“We urge residents to report criminal activities and vandalism to the municipal infrastructure to either police or the municipality, ” said Mr Green.