The Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested Sol Plaatje municipality to conduct regular safety audits of electricity kiosks, especially in the vicinity of schools, to remove the threat posed to communities by illegal connections.
This comes after an 8-year-old learner from Endeavour Primary School in Kimberley was electrocuted on Tuesday, just outside the school premises. According to the municipality, illegal tampering for an illegal electricity connection, caused the circuit board and surroundings to be live.
The DA is saddened by the ordeal that the young learner and her family have been through but we are relieved that she is recovering.
It is unacceptable that children, who should be safe in and around their schools, are exposed to life-threatening danger because of the unlawful actions of individuals coupled by failure of the municipality to speedily act against criminality.
This tragic incident must serve as a wake-up call to Sol Plaatje about the serious risks that illegal electrical connections pose to our communities. Every effort must also be made to ensure that precautions are taken to prevent a repeat of this potentially deadly incident.
The DA will also be asking Sol Plaatje to enforce stricter penalties on those responsible for tampering with electrical infrastructure, holding both property owners and tenants accountable for wrongdoing, and also not shying away from taking criminal action. The DA also encourages residents to work with the municipality and with local law enforcement, by reporting all illegal activities to local authorities, to achieve greater community safety.