Man found dead after electrocution as Vaal electricity crisis worsens

A man was found dead on an electrical pole in De Deur on Wednesday morning after apparently being electrocuted, highlighting the dangers posed by the Vaal’s deteriorating electricity infrastructure.

The incident comes amid an ongoing electricity crisis in the Vaal, where cable theft, vandalism and damage to infrastructure continue to disrupt power supplies. Communities across Emfuleni have experienced prolonged outages as stolen cables and damaged electrical equipment hamper the network.

The repeated targeting of electricity infrastructure has also raised concerns about public safety, with damaged installations creating potentially deadly conditions for residents, workers and criminals attempting to access the network.