Man electrocuted to death in electricity theft incident

The City of Johannesburg has urged residents to refrain from stealing electricity after a man was electrocuted to death.

The man was killed in Lenasia Extension 11 on Sunday. The man was allegedly stealing electricity from the area and supplying it to the nearby informal settlement.

It is alleged the man was paid by residents of Thembelihle informal settlement to supply stolen power.

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Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Mpho Moerane, said the man, believed to be from Mozambique, was found in an open field.

He was declared dead by paramedics at 17:00.

“We again appeal to residents to stop illegal connections because of the dangers involved, and the fact that it inconveniences the paying customers.

“Theft of electricity is a serious concern for us in the City of Johannesburg. We are aware of people who get paid by the residents to connect them to our grid, as was the case with this incident,” Moerane said.

The City has engaged law enforcement agencies to follow up on leads to ensure those stealing electricity in the area are arrested.

“Thembelihle informal settlement is one of the many hotspots identified across the City, where illegal connections are rife.

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“Most outages around Lenasia Extension 11 and the surrounding areas are due to, among others, overloading caused by illegal connections, including from Thembelihle.

“City Power Revenue Protection Service will intensify operations to cut off illegal connections in these areas,” Moerane said.

Meanwhile, the City is expected to conduct an inspection in Kya Sands on Tuesday.

Kya Sands has been identified as one of the areas having issues with regard to illegal connections.

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