A Pietermaritzburg municipal official was electrocuted while taking a bath in his home in Ridge Park near Grange in KZN on Saturday morning.

The Witness reports that municipal officials have since confirmed that a deadly surge has been linked to an illegal electricity connection elsewhere in the suburb.

The victim, 53-year-old Joseph Nkhethi, lived in Botha Street and worked as a principal administration officer in Msunduzi Municipality’s traffic department.

He had been preparing to attend classes at a local college when the tragedy struck.

Nkhethi’s sister, Jasenta Dlamini, says she heard noises from the bathroom before finding him in the tub.

“As I was pulling him out, I felt the electric shock, but I went ahead until I got him out completely,” she says.

“We are finding it hard to believe that he is gone. We are a big family of siblings, and our children and I live like brothers and sisters. He was the main person in the house, the breadwinner.

“Look at this house, the renovations are not complete, and with him gone, how are we going to cope? We are deeply saddened by his passing.”

The family described him as the cornerstone of their household, carrying hopes of renovating and extending their home.

Residents in the area said they had stopped their children from using baths, showers or outside taps due to recurring power surges.

Mampezi Msomi says her electricity tripped repeatedly last Thursday, and the distribution board emitted sparks.

“On Friday, my neighbour called and asked if I was still having problems, as hers was still choking. We have been scared to touch water because of this.

“On Saturday, another neighbour phoned to tell me that he had lost his brother because of it. I believe this could have been prevented if the matter had been attended to properly,” she says.

Another resident, Isaac Mncwabe, says: “We have children and elderly people in our homes. Why did it have to claim a life before the authorities took notice?

“The city should send a team to investigate the entire area and prevent further casualties.”

Ward 24 councillor Jerome Nkabini acknowledged intermittent surges and advised residents to log reference numbers with the call centre so that technicians can be sent to investigate.

Municipal spokesperson Ntobeko Mkhize says an investigation has been launched, but preliminary reports have confirmed high voltage in the area.

“Preliminary reports indicate that the employee was electrocuted while taking a bath. Municipal electricians discovered an abnormally high voltage, which was traced to an illegal connection from a nearby circuit distribution unit. The illegal cable was immediately removed.”

She described the incident as tragic and preventable.

“Illegal connections pose a serious risk to life, damage to property, and cause service disruptions. The matter has been registered with SAPS, and investigations are under way.

“The city extends its condolences to the bereaved family, colleagues in the Traffic Department, and the broader community.”

The municipality urged residents to report illegal connections by calling the 24-hour centre on 0800 001 868 or using the anonymous tip-off line 0801 000 545.

This is not the first time such a tragedy has struck.

In March, The Witness reported on a 20-year-old woman and her child who died after being electrocuted by an illegal connection while hanging washing in the Swapo settlement in Copesville.

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