A TRANSFORMER at Odi Block V in Mabopane, Tshwane, fell on four houses on Tuesday, 19 December, electrocuting a 45-year-old woman.
This was the day an intense storm hit, which caused the transformer to fall.
Residents said they had reported the unstable transformer more than 10 times in the past four months.
One of the residents, Sello Mashao, whose wife Elizabeth was electrocuted, showed the SunTeam about seven reference numbers dating back to August 2023. He claimed that Eskom workers constantly come and check the transformer, but never fix it.
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Sello said when he was told about the fallen transformer, he contacted his wife to take his kids and leave the house immediately.
"It had just passed 10pm when the community called to tell me that the transformer had fallen and that cables were hanging over three houses, including mine," he said.
"Fifteen minutes later the worst happened, and I was informed that my wife had been electrocuted. The first thing I asked was if she was alive before I rushed back from work," he said.
After being released from Odi Hospital on Wednesday, 20 December, Elizabeth spoke to Daily Sun and said she only managed to survive because of God's favour.
She said she couldn't remember much until she woke up in hospital. She said that she was unaware of the fallen transformer until her neighbours started throwing stones on her roof, yelling she should leave the house.
Elizabeth said she and the kids left the house safely, but she went back inside to get the kids some blankets and jerseys as it was chilly outside.
"I tried to lock the copper door as I was leaving the house and that's when the electricity shocked me. I remember falling towards the street, which is about six metres from the door and waking up in hospital,” she told Daily Sun.
"My children and I are both traumatised. We need counselling and appropriate medical attention. I'm in terrible pain. I still fell the electricity in my body. I shiver every now and then,” she said.
The Mashao family is being accommodated by a neighbour until the cables and transformer are fixed.
Neighbour Sello Nkoane (64) said Eskom should be held accountable and should cover all damages caused by the transformer. When the transformer fell, his side fence, washing line and hall were all destroyed.
"I'm just relieved that there were no reported fatalities from the incident, but I feel like Eskom has let us down," he said.
He said they have since been in contact with Eskom.
The fallen transformer left more than 15 homes without electricity.
Daily Sun reached out to Eskom to inquire about the reasons for the postponement of fixing the transformer, but was unsuccessfu.
