Residents in Springs, Ekurhuleni were left in shock after an unexpected power outage occurred on Monday, February 3, shortly after Eskom had announced the suspension of load shedding. The cause of the outage was later traced to a tragic incident involving a cable thief, who was fatally struck by a high-voltage cable while attempting to steal from a pylon.
Passersby discovered the lifeless body of an unidentified man near Corobrik, burned by the powerful electric shock. Authorities confirmed the man’s death, as he was believed to have been tampering with the cables when the accident occurred. To ensure safety, the electricity was temporarily cut off while the body was recovered.
Residents expressed concern over the sudden power disruption and the dangerous nature of such thefts. “We heard the power had been switched off to safely remove the deceased’s body, as the high voltage posed a danger to the police,” one resident explained.
Ekurhuleni District police have opened an inquest docket following the incident. Captain Neldah Sekgobela, a spokesperson for the police, urged anyone with information or those missing a loved one to come forward, as the identity of the deceased remains unknown.
