The community of Ikageng and Potchefstroom is outraged and heartbroken about the recent death of Kelebogile Fransman (10), who was electrocuted on March 31, allegedly due to an illegal electricity connection.

According to sources Kelebogile was playing ball with a group of other children in Hashtag, an informal settlement in Ikageng, when the ball went into a neighbour’s yard. Kelebogile, unknowingly, touched a galvanised sheet that was exposed to an open wire without insulation. This was possibly due to it being an illegal connection. She was electrocuted and died on the scene.

A community leader, Glenville Fransman, said that as a father himself, he cannot comprehend what the family is going through.

“My deepest condolences to the family. No one ever gets up in the morning and expects to lose a child. I am deeply saddened and disappointed that something like this has happened. No councillor, community leader, or member of the community wishes this upon anyone’s child. As leaders we are responsible to protect the members of the community, especially the children and the elderly. The municipality will urgently have to address this matter.”

According to Hans Jurie Moolman, DA caucus leader, the party has warned the municipality on several occasions about the danger of these illgeal connections. Moolman sent a formal complaint against the municipality to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) in November last year. In this complaint he noted that the municipality has no enforcement measures in place to combat illegal connections.

“In most instances they are clearly visible by merely driving past the areas where these illegal connections are taking place. Besides the illegality of these connections, connections to the grid are of such poor state that they pose an imminent and life-threatening danger to nearby residents,” Moolman said in the letter. According to Moolman, none of the complaints made to NERSA have been addressed.

Jeanette Tshite, municipal spokesperson, stated that the municipality has on numerous occasions been out to areas affected by illegal connections in an effort to disconnect them.

“In all occasions disconnections were made and again over time they resurfaced. In many instances municipal officials are attacked and threatened. A report was sent to Council to request a resolution that would allow funding to be sourced or made available so these informal settlements can be formalised, the connections would then be safe and properly installed,” said Tshite.

“The municipality would also generate revenue to continue connecting all informal settlements in a safe and proper way. Residents have been continuously warned of engaging in illegal electricity connections as they are not permitted and dangerous to persons as well as household equipment or appliances,” Tshite declared.