People had to run for cover when an exposed electricity cable started shooting sparks and producing plenty of smoke in Hawken Avenue, Bromhof, on 29 January.
Johannesburg Water apparently damaged the cable when they replaced a leaking water pipe the day before, resident Dooreen Edmunds said.
The entity apparently also damaged a Telkom cable, which was why three Telkom workers were on scene, assessing the damage.
Then, with no warning, sparks were flying and smoke rose in abundance as Telkom’s Noddy Maharaj shouted to everyone to “get back, it’s live!”
Eanuel Nkele and Jeethan Mungal of Telkom scrambled out of the trench, as Maharaj made two residents and a journalist run to a safe distance until the sparks and smoke died out.
Maharaj, who is Telkom’s operations manager for underground cables in the area, explained that because the outside of the cable was damaged, it was exposed, and the wet ground caused the phenomenon.
An explosion was unlikely, he said.
But now they knew that the cable still had electricity running through it.
Should anyone touch any part of it, they would be electrocuted.
“I am ready to tear my hair out,” Edmunds said regarding the situation. “It is very frustrating.”
Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau commented, “I worry about this sort of thing happening but at the same time I must also say that accidents do happen.”
He added that he has contacted City Power and “action should be forthcoming.”
Questions were sent to Johannesburg Water external communications officer Eleanor Mavimbela and City Power spokesperson Sydney Mphahlele, and comment is awaited.
Details: Johannesburg Water 011 688 1699; City Power 011 375 5555; Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau 084 572 4002.
