A teenager died in Philippi on Monday after being electrocuted, allegedly while attempting to install an illegal electricity connection, the City of Cape Town said.
“The young man and a friend tried to switch on the power supply on a pole-mounted transformer in Olieboom Road near the Jim se Bos informal settlement in Philippi at approximately 10:00 after the circuit breaker tripped as a result of overloading from numerous illegal connections,” the City said in a statement.
“According to the victim’s friend, he climbed onto the poles that hold up the transformer and while trying to switch on the electricity supply, he was electrocuted. The teenager was declared dead by medics who arrived on scene. An inquest docket has been opened.”
The City’s mayoral committee member for utility service, Ernest Sonneberg, urged residents to steer clear of electricity infrastructure, citing the death of the 17-year-old boy on Monday as “one of the tragic consequences of illegal electricity connection”.
“Philippi Farms is one of the hot spots for illegal connections, but every time the City has removed the illegal and unsafe electricity connections, members of the public have reinstated the connections after the officials have moved off site. Sadly, this incident underscores the ongoing challenges we face in this and other areas,” said Sonnenberg.
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