Boy electrocuted in informal settlement

Death from illegal connection ‘could have been prevented’

THE DEATH of a 4-year-old Strand boy, who was electrocuted in a freak accident at the Masakhane informal settlement, could have been prevented, angry community members said. Inganathi Dywili died after his body came into contact with the zinc sheet of a shack near where he was playing on Thursday afternoon.

Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said an inquest docket had been opened.

Distraught father Mbizo Nonceba, 26, said at the time of the incident he was resting on his bed. Inganathi had just come into the house to ask for water and went outside again.

“Just when I was about to sleep, my sister came rushing inside and said my son was calling me. When I arrived at the scene, which is a few metres from home, he was lying down on his stomach, his chin was on a rock and his hands stretched to the sides. The right hand was still on the zinc sheet of the shack. I tried to pick him up but was forced to let him go as I also got shocked,” Nonceba said.

The sobbing father said community members called for an ambulance, but were told it could not come immediately.

“A community member who had a car assisted us in transporting my son to hospital. He had serious electrical burns on his stomach, hands and his knees couldn’t straighten. After a few minutes at the hospital the doctors said they tried everything but couldn’t save him,” Nonceba said.

Masakhane community spokesperson Mziwamadoda Fojisa said this was not the first time someone in their neighbourhood had been shocked.

“We’ve been living here without electricity for a long time. Out of desperation people connected their own electricity from poles. Dozens of wires for illegal electricity connections criss-cross open ground here,” Fojisa said.

In September, violent protests forced the closure of the N2 near Strand between Broadlands and Hazeldene Roads as the community complained that electricity had not been supplied to the area.

“We were told in December the materials would come and this month on the 18th the electricity would be installed.This death and others could have been prevented,” Fojisa added.

Ward 81 councillor Simthembile Mfecane said the installation was going to start tomorrow but in other informal settlements such as Pholile.

“There were delays which couldn’t be avoided but installation will begin this week. It will start in areas where reblocking has taken place; once Masakhane has also been reblocked electricity will be installed.”

Mfecane said it was frustrating and sad that so many children had died in these informal settlements because of illegal electricity connections. He asked local pastors to assist Inganathi’s family with the burial and is also calling for people who want to help the family to call him.