Two young men suffered serious injuries after coming into contact with live Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) power cables while riding on a scotch cart at Estadel Farm in Matopo on Friday.
The two who are aged 18 and 19 years are cousins.
They sustained serious burns while the two donkeys that were pulling the scotch cart died on the spot.
CITE spoke to some villagers who revealed that prior to the incident they had made several reports to the power utility to attend to the naked live cables.
“These cables have been hanging for some time now and people had no choice but to pass by that spot. The young men who are from Lookout Masuku village were travelling in a scotch cart and used that route. Unfortunately for them, they happened to stop by that spot and they were electrocuted,” said Makorono Mhlanga.
“They were lucky not to die but they sustained serious burn injuries. When we heard the commotion, we rushed to rescue and assist them.”
Mhlanga said the villagers took the two boys to Marula Clinic while local ZESA officials arrived later on the scene.
“We last saw the ZESA officials that Friday and we reported the incident to the police. The two boys were then referred to see a doctor whom they will be seeing Monday (tomorrow), for a check-up,” he said
The villagers added they would be reporting to the police station once again to prompt ZESA for an update.
“We need a proper response from ZESA, as to how they will assist the injured and when they will fix these power cables. If they had acted in time, no one would be injured. We thank God the two survived the incident,” Mhlanga said.
Contacted for comment, ZESA spokesperson, Prisca Utete said she was unaware of the incident as she was out on field assignments.
“I will confirm once I am back in the office by Wednesday,” she said, asking for questions to be emailed to her.
Matabeleland South, Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena said she would provide a report Monday as she was out of the office.
This story will updated as we receive more information.
