It was an accident waiting to happen.
A man was electrocuted at an open substation in Mill Street in the industrial area on Wednesday, August 10 after reports indicated his attempt to steal cables.
Capt Gibi Mtsweni, communications officer of Standerton Police, said on Thursday, August 11 that the deceased was identified by his brother as Tshediso Michael Motloung.
The electricity in the industrial area was interrupted after 14:00 and a massive water leak around the substation contributed to the fate of the deceased.
Businessmen Andrew Uys and Johan Verburgh told the Standerton Advertiser the sorry tale of meeting with the Lekwa Municipality to address the danger of the situation.
Children enjoy playing soccer during school holidays in the open field behind the substation as well.
The business community was quite prepared to cover the box completely, at their own cost, but Lekwa’s stance was, according to them, that it would be illegal and they would be in charge of putting palisades around the substations.
New doors for substations were also in the pipeline and a contract has been signed to that effect.
Kasselman Security Services and police were on the scene the afternoon and the body was covered, while the wait for the forensic team began.
The water leak stems from the intersection of Artissa Street and Produce Street and the grass at some spots in the field are wet through and through.
According to the business community, the leak has been reported more than once.
The mini-sub has no security features either.
The newspaper contacted Rudi Fourie of LPF Electrical on Thursday, August 11, asking which precautions must be taken at a mini-substation.
“There should be doors, first of all, that can be locked,” Fourie said.
“The keys should be in safekeeping at the municipality since they are the only people who may access the mini-sub.”
The dangerous combination of water and electricity at a given point was mentioned.
The Standerton Advertiser published an article in May about incidents of cable theft and vandalism.
Corné Stoltz, ward councillor in Meyerville, previously said he regularly patrols the streets in the early hours of the morning to check on any criminal activity.
During a visit to the industrial area, examples of poor workmanship were found.
The exposed transformer of 11000 KVA near the intersection of Arista Street and Mill Street was seen and Stoltz then warned that it is a life-threatening situation.
“Anyone walking past and touching the wires, can be electrocuted.”
After copper thieves broke into the mini-substation in Walter Sisulu Drive in April, vandalising it, a business in town did the repairs.
The newspaper also reported on an attempt to steal cables in Vry Street in December last year, as well as on the explosion at the mini-sub in Princess Street.
Lekwa urged the community in the past to report cable theft at the nearest police station, saying this cost them millions of rands to replace.
A request was previously made at Lekwa to furnish statistics on cable theft and another WhatsApp-message sent to the communications officer, Thando Nkosi, on August 11
No feedback was received at the time of going to press.
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