A man lost his life while trying to hang an election poster. Picture: X/ Julius Malema
EFF leader Julius Malema has paid tribute to party campaigner Lekometse Monama who died recently while hanging up election posters in Limpopo.
Monama was securing the sign while balancing on a pole with exposed wire when he lost his life. A picture, seemingly of the scene of the tragedy, showed a body under a blanket next to a collapsed ladder.
The ladder sits at the foot of a set of poles holding up a transformer.
Monama will be buried on Saturday at Ga Rakgwedi, Nebo village in Limpopo.
“We have lost a brave and dedicated member of our movement. My heart goes out to his loved ones. Please accept my sincere condolences,” Malema said.
ALSO READ: Eskom warns political parties about placing posters on its infrastructure
He added his gratitude for Monama’s “service and sacrifice”, promising to support his family.
“Your family will always be my family and will always be there for them,” the EFF leader said.
Power utility Eskom has previously warned against placing election posters on electricity poles, towers, meter boxes and mini-substations.
“Electricity is invisible to the naked eye and the risk is that when someone gets close to or touches them, it may result in an inadvertent flash-over or electrical contact.
“This can cause serious injuries to the person, or even be fatal.
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“Attaching posters to an electrical structure is not only a contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (No.85 of 1993) but also puts the lives of your valuable employees, members of the public and volunteers at risk,” it said.
Legislation says that only authorised workers may climb on electricity poles.
“No person shall encroach in person or with objects on the minimum safety clearances required in terms of sub-regulation (1) or require or permit any other person to do so except by permission of the supplier or user operating the powerline”.
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