A Gr. 2 learner of the Endeavour Primary School in Kimberley was injured when electrocuted next to a metering kiosk, which had been tampered with through an illegal connection to a nearby house.
The incident happened on Tuesday, 15 October, outside the school’s premises.
In a media statement, the Sol Plaatje Municipality said the eight-year-old girl is out of danger and recuperating well after being rushed to hospital. However, the municipality expressed it shock in the incident.
According to Thabo Mothibi, municipal spokesperson, the immediate findings by a technical team headed by an electrical engineer pointed to tampering with an electrical distribution board at one of the houses next to the municipal metering kiosk. Apparently, the circuit breaker of the distribution board was not in place, leading to its live wire being exposed to the bare earth wire.
This illegal connection rendered the kiosk and its surroundings to be live.
The connection was immediately disconnected, followed by the municipality seeking a law enforcement intervention after the occupant of the house, believed to a Nigerian national, displayed aggression, prohibiting the team from undertaking a thorough assessment.
“Whilst charges of tampering with municipal infrastructure and theft of electricity are to be pursued against the tenant and the owner of the property, we are appealing to resident to report illegal connections and theft of electricity,” Mothibi stated.
Report it by calling the police on 10111, or the municipality on 053-830-6111 or 080-122-9010.
