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Elisha Gumbo, a Grade 7 pupil at Mupamombe Primary School, has been admitted at Parirenyatwa hospital since February 13 after he suffered severe burns on his legs, back and arms.
His mother, Mrs Emma Gumbo, said her son was coming from extra lessons when the incident occurred.
“Elisha told me that as he was coming from Westview where he had had his extra lessons.
“He saw a lot of people using a certain path and he decided to use it as well. As he approached the people who were in front of him he tripped and stepped on some Zesa wires, which had fallen and had been left unattended,” she said.
Mrs Gumbo, who is a widow, said Zesa workers informed her of the incident on the day it occurred.
“A Zesa employee came and took me to Kadoma Hospital where they had already put Elisha on a stretcher bed and were taking him into an ambulance.
“When he got here (Parirenyatwa) I could tell that his hands were now useless, they were badly burnt,” she said.
Elisha went into theatre the following day and his arms were amputated.
He went back into theatre a month later and again last week for skin grafting on his back and legs.
Mrs Gumbo said the injuries would derail her son’s education.
“My boy is very intelligent. I just hope he will be able to take part in his Grade 7 examinations this year,” she said.
She also said she looked forward to more support from Zesa after Elisha’s recovery since it was not his fault that he tripped and fell on the exposed live cables.
“Zesa should continue helping me after he is discharged because I can not afford to live with him like this,” she said.
Currently Zesa is paying for all the medication.
Elisha who will be discharged today sobbed as he said his future had been ruined.
Early this year a commuter omnibus conductor was electrocuted while a passenger was severely burnt after they fell into a ditch with live electricity cables in Mbare. The two were fighting over a refund, the woman was demanding.
Bongani Ndlovu