Eskom’s Statement on Man Fatally Electrocuted on Pole-Mounted Transformer

South Africa’s Eskom confirmed in a statement on Saturday that a man was fatally electrocuted in Ekurhuleni Region on Thursday night while allegedly operating an Eskom pole-mounted transformer, which is illegal. It appears the tragedy occurred in a community that was desperate for their power to be fixed.

A shocking video of the incident went viral, showing the moment the man’s body caught fire. Eskom and the South African Police Service (SAPS) say they are investigating the incident… which took place in Zonkizizwe Zone 4, Katlehong on 16 July.

“Eskom’s preliminary report indicates that the transformer exploded while the deceased was illegally operating it. The deceased sustained serious burn injuries and was unfortunately certified dead by the authorities. The reports also reveal that some members of the community had arranged for the deceased to restore supply without following due processes after the transformer faulted,” said Eskom.

Eskom said it is concerned about the increase in the number of lives lost as a result of contact with electricity due to illegal operations. The power utility warned that these incidents can be avoided and asked the community to refrain from such activities.

In many areas however, residents are desperate and frustrated with the lack of service they say they have received from Eskom. In some cases, the lack of power is due to repeated cable theft.

The power remains off in the affected transformer, said Eskom, and supply will be restored “once an audit process has been followed, which includes the removal of illegal connections and meter bypasses.”

Eskom said it will continue to intensify its efforts to safeguard its assets by partnering with the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies in ensuring that illegal activities are contained and avoided.

Residents are encourage to report anyone interfering with the electricity network to the National Toll-Free Crime line on 0800112722 or SMS on 35328. You may choose to be anonymous. Customers can log faults at the Contact Centre on 08600 37566, the Eskom App or email customerservices@eskom.co.za

Eskom posted tweets today reminding its customers that “only Eskom trained and authorized personnel are allowed to work on the power lines and other Eskom equipment. Community members are urged to refrain from tampering with Eskom infrastructure to avoid arrest, injury or worse, a fatality.”

The video is horrifying, but should you wish to view it, you can see it here.