A man from Ramsgate, Louis van Wyk (58), died in the arms of his wife, Caron, after he stepped on a live electric wire hidden in the grass on the side of the N2 toll road’s southbound Seaslopes off-ramp.
Police spokesman Captain Gerald Mfeka has confirmed that the live electric wire was part of an illegal electricity connection. Police were investigating the matter. If the culprit responsible for setting up the connection was apprehended he or she would face prosecution, he said.
According to Mrs van Wyk she and her husband and their nephew, Jamey Bailey, had arranged to meet a friend at the Seaslopes off-ramp on Saturday last weekend. They turned off the freeway and parked their vehicle on the shoulder of the road. Mr van Wyk stepped a few paces off the road and was suddenly thrown to the ground. Alerted by his groans, Mrs van Wyk ran to help him, screaming for Mr Bailey to assist her.
Without knowing what had caused Mr van Wyk to collapse, Mrs van Wyk put her own life in danger by rushing to his aid but Mr Bailey, realising the problem, grabbed a canvas bag and was able to pull Mr van Wyk away from the wire. He started cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the electrocuted man but was unsuccessful.
Although there are rumours that other people had been electrocuted at that spot and that the live wire had been brought to the notice of the authorities earlier, these are unconfirmed. Captain Mfeka said Mr van Wyk had been the only electrocution victim who had died at that exact spot…
South Africa Today – South Africa News
