A Zesa Holdings inquiry into the death of Clinton Mhlanga, who died late last year after being electrocuted while servicing a 33 kilovolt transformer in Collen Bawn close to West Nicholson, has concluded that he was negligent.
LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI OWN CORRESPONDENT
In a report gleaned by Southern Eye, Zesa states that Mhlanga failed to uphold the power utility’s safety rules at the time he was servicing the transformer.
“Clinton Mhlanga is culpable of his actions because he did not observe safety rules and procedures — Rule No 14 in the electrical safety Rules Book second edition,” the statement reads.
The report said when Mhlanga left to attend to the transformer, he had all the relevant tools required to safely do the job.
“Mhlanga had carried all the relevant tools and equipment such as (earth sets, link sticks, ladder and safety belts) for the job.”
Zesa claims that when Mhlanga disembarked from the truck, he only took his tool box while some of his workmates proceeded to attend to other faults.
“Mhlanga climbed up the Quarry village feeder A-frame structure with the intention of mounting the drop-out fuse mounts while artisan assistant B Nyathi was on the ground cleaning the second drop-out fuse when he heard a loud bang.
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“He looked up only to realise that Mhlanga had been shocked and his T-shirt had caught fire. Mhlanga fell unconscious and his leg was hooked on the auto-recloser platform mounted on the same A-frame structure,” the report said.
It is, however, under the observations part of the report that Mhlanga’s family is challenging the findings. Point 3,2 under the inquiry’s observations, the report said: “The committee observed that artisans at Gwanda depot were sharing tools and equipment.”
But point 3,3 states that Mhlanga had all the equipment required for the job he had been dispatched to and his family says there are serious contradictions as he did not go alone, but with others who were servicing other parts.
The Mhlanga family argues that the report clearly stated that artisans shared tools and their son was dispatched by his principal Todd Ntombi to carry out duties without the relevant equipment since there was a shortage of tools.
As a result, the family said it still suspects foul play even though Zesa has tried to blame someone who is not there to defend himself.
“Zesa is hiding behind technicalities that do not even exist. We want our son’s superiors to talk to us and inform us directly that he was at fault for his death and not just some report where words were carefully chosen,” a Mhlanga family spokesperson said.
“What’s troubling us is that Ntombi is the one who is writing a report based on hearsay and all we are asking for is an audience with them, so that they can tell us what really happened. They can’t investigate themselves. If they were honest, they would have allowed an independent investigation into the death of our son,” the spokesperson said.
When contacted for comment, Zesa public relations manager Fullard Gwasira said he was in a meeting.
