Exposed wires still a threat

Exposed municipal electrical wiring has become a common sight in many areas of the city.

July 10, 2015

Riana Joubert 1 minute read

This street light in Mara Street in Ladanna has exposed open wires because the metal plate covering the wires has been removed. This poses a danger, especially to children.

POLOKWANE – Exposed municipal electrical wiring has become a common sight in many areas of the city.

This problem is causing a lot of trouble for both the municipality and residents.

While the municipality has to keep doing repairs, parents are trying to make sure their children do not go near these exposed wires which, with some 220 volts running through them, pose a very real danger. Vandalism is the main cause of these problems.

According to municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, vandalism and theft are often responsible for the exposed wiring found on street light poles and electrical boxes.

Metal plates are removed to be sold to scrap metal dealers, leaving the wiring exposed. The metal covers are worth less than R1 each when sold.

Ladanna is one of the areas most affected by this type of vandalism and according to Jason Mabone, a resident of Ladanna, the wires are placed about 40cm from the ground, which is the ideal height for a curious child to investigate.

Jannie Keppler from a local scrap metal dealer said it was not always possible to see if a piece of metal was municipal property as it did not have any identifying marks. “There are many safety precautions that we make use of to ensure we do not buy stolen metal. These include requesting proof of ID, as well as a contact number. I also take a photo of the items sold and keep it on record to ensure there is proof if a problem should arise,” Keppler explained.

Chuene said besides the metal plates being removed, another problem was that the padlocks were also being stolen off municipal electrical boxes.

She urged residents to report any exposed wiring they came across to (015) 290 2490.