The Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality in Limpopo has spent almost R30,000 of public funds to remove an electric power pole which was erected in the middle of a newly tarred road in Lebowakgomo.
Eskom provincial manager Dikgabane Rampedi told Sowetan yesterday that they had billed the municipality R28,000 to remove the live power line. "We sent out our team of technicians to Lebowakgomo and removed the pole. For fear of disrupting power supply, we had to risk and remove the line live without switching it off."
He said switching off the line would have disrupted power supply to key areas including Lebowakgomo Hospital.
The municipality's spokesperson Khali Maphoso didn't respond to Sowetan's enquiries. The tarring of the road from Zone S to Zone Q in Lebowakgomo at the cost of R10.5m started in May and was scheduled to be completed by October 22.
DA councillor Fanie Tsela confirmed that the pole was removed on Friday.
Council spends R28k to remove pole in road
The Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality in Limpopo has spent almost R30,000 of public funds to remove an electric power pole which was erected in the middle of a newly tarred road in Lebowakgomo.
Eskom provincial manager Dikgabane Rampedi told Sowetan yesterday that they had billed the municipality R28,000 to remove the live power line. "We sent out our team of technicians to Lebowakgomo and removed the pole. For fear of disrupting power supply, we had to risk and remove the line live without switching it off."
He said switching off the line would have disrupted power supply to key areas including Lebowakgomo Hospital.
The municipality's spokesperson Khali Maphoso didn't respond to Sowetan's enquiries. The tarring of the road from Zone S to Zone Q in Lebowakgomo at the cost of R10.5m started in May and was scheduled to be completed by October 22.
DA councillor Fanie Tsela confirmed that the pole was removed on Friday.