An 11-year-old boy sustained fatal injuries after coming into contact with an illegal electricity connection in an informal settlement in Orange Farm in Gauteng, Eskom said on Wednesday.
Eskom provincial spokesperson Amanda Qithi said the incident happened at Tjovitjo informal settlement along the Golden Highway on Tuesday.
Qithi said a group of boys were allegedly swimming in a pool of water next to the railway line when one of them made contact with open wires on the ground.
“The deceased’s brother is alleged to have carried the victim’s body to the Golden Highway, where the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services (GEMS) found and declared him dead on the scene,” she said.
Eskom’s provincial manager Kith Maitisa said they had disconnected the wires that were illegally connected to the transformer supplying electricity to a neighbouring school.
Maitisa said they were working with the police and other law-enforcement agencies to remove illegal connections in the area.
“Communities in areas with illegal connections tend to become hostile towards Eskom when removing these wires. Of further concern to us is that many communities tend to replace the removed illegal connections just a short time after their removal.
“We urge members of the public to refrain from such acts of criminality as they can be fatal,” Maitisa said.
TimesLIVE
Boy, 11, electrocuted by illegal power connection in Orange Farm
An 11-year-old boy sustained fatal injuries after coming into contact with an illegal electricity connection in an informal settlement in Orange Farm in Gauteng, Eskom said on Wednesday.
Eskom provincial spokesperson Amanda Qithi said the incident happened at Tjovitjo informal settlement along the Golden Highway on Tuesday.
Qithi said a group of boys were allegedly swimming in a pool of water next to the railway line when one of them made contact with open wires on the ground.
“The deceased’s brother is alleged to have carried the victim’s body to the Golden Highway, where the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services (GEMS) found and declared him dead on the scene,” she said.
Eskom’s provincial manager Kith Maitisa said they had disconnected the wires that were illegally connected to the transformer supplying electricity to a neighbouring school.
Maitisa said they were working with the police and other law-enforcement agencies to remove illegal connections in the area.
“Communities in areas with illegal connections tend to become hostile towards Eskom when removing these wires. Of further concern to us is that many communities tend to replace the removed illegal connections just a short time after their removal.
“We urge members of the public to refrain from such acts of criminality as they can be fatal,” Maitisa said.
TimesLIVE