The tragic death of a Davidsonville man has prompted City of Johannesburg MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Mpho Moerane, to send a warning to those using illegal electricity connections.
The incident in Davidsonville on 21 October comes a week after a nine-year-old child was killed outside Midrand when touching exposed illegal connections. Similarly, the man in Davidsonville is said to have been entangled in a web of exposed wires in an open field and was electrocuted. City Power has since removed the hazardous cable that was running alongside the walking trail.
Read initial article here: Illegal connections claim life of Davidsonville man
“City Power will intensify cutting off illegal connections across the city, while continuing with an education drive about the dangers of vandalism and illegal connections. The City is engaging with other departments to ensure that informal settlements receive essential services, including legal electricity,” said Councillor Moerane via a press statement.
“We are seeing a worrying trend of an increase in vandalism and theft of our infrastructure across the regions. Streetlights seem to be the target, with some mowed down in what we see as a serious crime against the state,” she continued.
The MMC is appealing to law-enforcement agencies to assist in ensuring that the perpetrators are found and brought to book. Additionally, the department is appealing to the communities to report any acts of vandalism or theft to their nearest police station immediately.
