Residents in eMbalenhle fear disaster from leaning pole
According to the community, a municipal-appointed contractor installing smart meters accidentally damaged the pole. The hanging electricity wire almost set fire to a shack.
Residents of Ext 18 want the Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) to urgently repair a dangerously leaning electricity pole left unattended for months.
The hazard caused an incident on November 28, when a high-current cable sagging across the roofs of several shacks caught fire and almost set some alight.
According to the community, a municipal-appointed contractor installing smart meters accidentally damaged the pole.
Residents say the pole collapsed while one of the contractor’s workers was on a ladder attending to a meter box, and almost fell onto the roof of a nearby RDP house. The worker escaped unharmed.
Community members have since raised concerns about the GMM’s and the contractor’s adherence to occupational health and safety standards.
Resident Mduduzi Mahlangu, whose shack was almost destroyed during the cable fire, said the situation places the entire section at risk.
“I was lucky. When the cable started burning, I wasn’t in the shack. I was at my neighbour’s place when we saw the fire on my roof. We called community members and used sand to douse the flames.
“We then used a small pole to lift the cable so it wouldn’t touch my shack. This is dangerous, not just for me, but for all of us living under it,” said Mahlangu.
He said they immediately reported the issue to the GMM after the contractor’s employee fell along with the pole, but residents were left disappointed.
ALSO READ: Political parties in Secunda area demand accountability after R23m municipal fraud
“Municipal workers came, looked at it, and left. They never said when they would fix it. We’re still living with this risk,” he added.
He appealed to the GMM to take urgent action before a serious incident happens.
GMM media liaison and content developer Donald Green confirmed the municipality is aware of the situation. He said the GMM had begun a programme to replace damaged electricity poles across the area.
The municipality has replaced several poles in the area that pose a danger.
“A significant number of poles have already been replaced, and the process is ongoing,” said Green.
Residents, however, say they hope Ext 18 will be prioritised before the leaning pole leads to more fires, injuries, or property loss.
