Eskom is urging South Africans to immediately report illegal electricity connections, exposed wires, damaged electrical infrastructure and other hazards as the country marks Electricity Safety Month.
The power utility warned that illegal connections, infrastructure vandalism, cable theft and tampering continue to pose serious risks to communities, electricity workers and contractors.
Eskom Senior Manager for Occupational Health and Safety Miranda Moahlodi said the utility had recorded about 200 public safety impacts linked to electricity-related incidents.
“South Africa continues to face serious electricity safety risks linked to illegal connections, low-hanging and exposed wires, cable theft, infrastructure vandalism and attacks on electricity workers,” Moahlodi said.
She added that the actual number of incidents could be higher because some hazards go unreported, particularly where communities protect illegal connections.
Illegal connections and exposed electrical wires can result in electrocution, fires, overloaded networks and damage to critical infrastructure.
Eskom said poorly installed, overloaded or tampered electrical lines were among the major contributors to fires in informal settlements and residential areas.
The utility is calling on residents to follow its “See-Act-Immediately” approach when they encounter dangerous electrical infrastructure.
Residents who see fallen or low-hanging wires, open electrical boxes, damaged meter boxes, vandalised transformers or unsafe connections running through trees, streets or rooftops are urged to keep away, warn others and report the danger.
“Do not touch it, do not remove it, and most importantly, do not ignore it,” Eskom said.
The utility also appealed to communities to support its teams when illegal connections are removed, saying the work is intended to prevent injuries and deaths.
“The removal of illegal connections by Eskom teams highlights the need to protect both the electricity network and the employees working to make it safe,” Moahlodi said.
“While disconnections can be difficult for affected communities, Eskom’s priority is to prevent harm and save lives.”
Eskom warned that vandalism, cable theft and illegal electricity operations can also result in prolonged outages, damage essential services and expose workers and members of the public to potentially fatal risks.
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