Man dies after electricity tampering in Western Cape informal settlement

A man died on Thursday after being electrocuted in Zone 8, Thembalethu, in the Western Cape, while illegally tampering with municipal electrical infrastructure. The man, approximately 30 years old, was electrocuted and died in hospital later the same evening, reports George Herald.

This is the second case of electrocution due to illegal tampering in the past 12 months. In August 2018, a man was killed while trying to run a wire across a ravine from New Dawn Park, Pacaltsdorp, to the informal settlement All Bricks in Thembalethu.

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In the recent incident, it appears that the deceased attempted to operate and tamper with the high voltage fuse links protecting the transformer. He seemed to have used two wattle poles tied together with wire to operate the fuse links – an extremely dangerous act which led to his death.

This particular area in Thembalethu is hamstrung by illegal connections, making electricity supply to legal consumers unreliable.

Attempts by the municipality to clamp down on the illegal connections have been relatively unsuccessful. The municipality strongly condemns such illegal connections as they not only pose a risk to the life of the person attempting the connection, but also are of extreme danger to any child, adult or animal in the area.

Illegal tampering with electricity claimed a second victim in eight months.

Illegal electricity connections draw more electricity from the network than anticipated, causing power failures and inconvenience to law-abiding paying customers. Communities must be alert to the basics of safe electricity usage and the risks associated with electricity theft, meter tampering, bypassing, and illegal connections.

A full investigation will be carried out in regard to this incident.

The public is once again urged to come forward to report incidents of illegal connections, especially while they are being made.

Zone 8 in Thembalethu is hamstrung by illegal connections, making the electricity supply to legal consumers unreliable. Photos: Supplied

Report all tampering or electricity theft to George Protection Service Offices during work hours on 044 801 6350, or after hours on 044 801 6300.

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