Extension Six electricity claims another life
Illegal electricity connections continue to kill people
The number of fatalities caused by the illegal electricity connections in Extension Six, Langaville, keeps growing with 12-year-old Luyanda Ngwane being the latest victim.
Luyanda’s grandmother Vivian Ngwane says on April 2 her grandson was electrocuted when he touched the gate of a house in the community.
“The electric cable came loose and was touching the gate, it had just stopped raining so he died on the spot,” explains Vivian.
The Grade Seven Michael Zulu Primary learner, lived with his grandmother and had gone to visit his mother who lives a few streets away.
Ward 81 councillor Mtumeleni Ndita says many residents have illegal connections which are claiming both young and adult lives in the area.
“I have been with the family and assisted them with application of the indigent burial policy,” adds the councillor.
His statement was supported by Tsakane police captain Petros Mabuza.
He said, “This is the third child to be killed in Extension Six since 2012, and this situation could have been worse if more than one child had touched the gate.”
The captain also attributes the problem to the illegal connections which are a common sight in the area.
“People pay homeowners to allow them to make these illegal connections, we have run many operations in the area with the municipality to remove these connections, but residents go back and reconnect them,” explains Mabuza.
He said an inquest was opened by police and advised that the municipality could open a case of theft of electricity, which is a criminal case.
Ekurhuleni Department of |Communication’s Lebogang Ramashala says the Ekurhuleni Municipality is faced with a huge problem of illegal electricity connections in the entire Langaville area.
“There is a tender in place for the restitution of the electricity network in Langaville, and work will commence in Extension Six by mid-May,” concluded Ramashala.
