Eskom in the Western Cape has confirmed the death of a child in Dunoon last week after being electrocuted by an illegal connection.
According to the parastatal, the child was fatally injured
after he made contact with the metal from a shack that was made live by an
illegal connection in Ekuphumleni on Wednesday. The child was rushed to the hospital and
sadly succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased by medical staff on
arrival at the Dunoon Day Hospital.
PCITURE: PixabayEskom says this news comes as it continues to battle the
scourge of illegal connections, cable theft and infrastructure vandalism across
the Western Cape, with most of these occurring in Eskom electricity-supplied
areas in the Cape Metro
“The loss of young lives in such heartbreaking
circumstances is unimaginable. It is our
collective responsibility to ensure that children have a safe and secure
environment to live and play,’’ said
Mbulelo Yedwa, General Manager of Eskom Distribution, Cape Coastal Cluster.
He further highlighted the importance of community
cooperation in eliminating the scourge
of illegal connections and bringing justice to the criminals who endanger communities.
“We urge members of the public to share critical
information that can aid in curbing the
dangerous practice of illegal connections and hold accountable those whose actions have led to
these tragic and unnecessary deaths,” he
said.
‘’Eskom remains steadfast in its commitment to combating
illegal connections. Eskom regularly collaborates with community leaders,
councillors and other stakeholders to develop and implement solutions that
protect the public, safeguard the Eskom network
and ensure uninterrupted power supply. We need to work even more closely
with the South African Police Services and local communities to prevent illegal
connections and enhance public safety,” added Yedwa
Community members can report electricity related theft such
as illegal connections cable theft and
the vandalism of electrical infrastructure to the relevant authorities, South African Police Services (SAPS), the
Eskom crime line number 0800 11 27 22 or
Eskom Security Services 0649573383.
Done by: Elona Sibunzi
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