AN ELECTRICIAN employed by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) in Gwanda died on Friday afternoon from burns he sustained after being electrocuted while attending to an electrical fault at Collen Bawn, about 20km outside the town.
ALBERT NCUBE OWN CORRESPONDENT
Clinton Mhlanga reportedly suffered severe burns while fixing a 33 kilovolt transformer after a wrong breaker was switched off and died in a Bulawayo hospital.
“One of his eyes was blown off and he suffered severe burns all over the body. He fell from the impact of the electrocution and broke his leg in the process. It was like being struck by lightning,” a ZETDC employee said on condition of anonymity.
The incident has left many unanswered questions amid speculation that Mhlanga could have been sabotaged.
Although police could not immediately confirm the incident, some ZETDC workers said they suspected foul play.
“It’s difficult to comprehend how a qualified electrician could go to such an extent without following the necessary safety procedures. It boggles the mind and police must investigate,” an employee said.
The safety of ZETDC employees has come under the spotlight as hardly a month passes without incidences of electrocution.
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Another ZETDC employee is reportedly hospitalised at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo after having been electrocuted.
ZETDC Gwanda manager Todd Ntombi said he was not allowed to talk to the Press when contacted for comment and referred inquiries to Western Region general manager Lovemore Chinaka.
“While the incident has happened in my area, it’s unfortunate that I cannot give you the details as I am not allowed to speak to the Press. You can contact my bosses in Bulawayo,” Ntombi said.
