A 21-year-old man from Bulawayo’s Luveve suburb was arrested by the police and charged with negligent driving after he rammed into an electricity pole and damaged a transformer.
Luveve suburb was plunged into darkness after the transformer was severely damaged so much that it has to be replaced.
The man, Ngqabutho Sibanda, who was on a joyride, is yet to provide the police with his driver’s licence.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident. He said:
We confirm that accident, what we know is that it was a sole part, Ngqabutho Sibanda aged 21 years who is yet to produce a driver’s license.
Insp Ncube said Sibanda was driving along an unknown road in Old Luveve when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a transformer.
The three passengers were injured and taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Acting Western Region General Manager Lloyd Jaji said affected residents will be without power for some time. He said:
The structure was totally damaged so we have to supply a new structure.
It is difficult to tell when people will have electricity because we will have to buy material because we did not have the material in stock so we have to get material first and install it, it’s like we are starting from scratch.