Kouga Local Municipality extended its heartfelt condolences to the family of the man who tragically lost his life due to electrocution in Sea Vista on July 15.
In a statement released by the municipality, it said that while the circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated, preliminary reports suggest the man was attempting to connect illegally to the electricity network.
“The municipality acknowledges that there have been similar tragedies in informal settlements in the past. Illegal electricity connections are not only unlawful but extremely dangerous. They pose a significant risk of injury or death to individuals, especially children, and often lead to electrical fires, damage to municipal infrastructure, and prolonged outages that affect entire communities,” the statement said.
Kouga Local Municipality Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, once again urged residents to refrain from making illegal connections and to report any tampering with electrical infrastructure.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and appeal to our residents to never risk their lives for electricity. Our teams have made countless appeals to residents to refrain from illegal connections and pointed out the risks attached to it. Illegal connections are a threat to lives and to the safety of our communities. Kouga Local Municipality is actively working to address electricity access challenges, and we ask for the public’s patience and cooperation,” said Bornman.
To mitigate such incidents, Kouga Municipality is fast-tracking the electrification of informal settlements throughout the region.
As part of these efforts, Phase 1 of the Sea Vista Electrification Project is set to launch in August this year, bringing legal and safe electricity access to more households in the area.
Residents are encouraged to report illegal connections or damaged infrastructure to the municipality via the Kouga Call Centre at 042 200 2200.
