Durban – The eThekwini Municipality will investigate the cause of an explosion at the Klaarwater electricity substation on Tuesday night.
This comes after the Inkatha Freedom Party claimed they had received shocking news that four employees of eThekwini Municipality blew up the electricity transformers at Nsizwakazi near Klaarwater township in Durban.
IFP national executive committee MPL Joshua Mazibuko said according to a report they received from a resident, who claimed to have witnessed the incident, their area had power and there was no problem with electricity.
“However, at dusk, four eThekwini Municipality vehicles arrived and drove to the transformers at the corner of Intake and Demat Roads at Nsizwakazi. They were driving 3 Toyota Hilux bakkies and a Toyota Hino Truck. Soon thereafter, when they were there, the transformers went up in flames and the whole area suddenly experienced power failure. Nearby Dassenhoek experienced the same explosion and power failure as well,” Mazibuko alleged.
The IFP condemns such criminality, if indeed it occurred, regardless of who did it, he said. He called on eThekwini Municipality and the SAPS to institute an investigation into the allegations.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela refutes the IFP statement, wherein the IFP is alleging that their sources maintain that the substation was deliberately blown up by city employees.
“This is currently treated as an unfortunate accident. As a result, the city is investigating to ascertain the cause of the explosion.”
Mayisela said this substation, like many, was not spared by the floods. He explained that when stations of high and medium voltage switch gears are flooded, there is always a very high risk of explosions and fires.
“Electricity personnel have been visiting these subs over the past week 24/7 to carry out repair work because of heavy rainfall. It then boggles the mind as to how the same employees would carry out acts of sabotage driving vehicles that are discernibly from the city.
“The city appeals to the IFP to guard against driving a wedge between the city and affected residents during this difficult period.
“It is expected of this political formation to have its shoulder on the wheel, in the city’s quest to overcome the challenges that are being experienced following the catastrophe,” Mayisela said.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said nothing had been reported to Mariannhill police.
Daily News