Raymond Jaravaza [email protected]
A SUSPECTED electricity infrastructure thief died after being electrocuted at a transformer in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb,
Residents in the sprawling suburb said repeated cable theft and transformer-oil draining are plunging neighbourhoods into darkness and disrupting livelihoods.
The man, believed to be in his late 30s, was found dead near a transformer yesterday morning, with police reporting that copper cables had been cut and were hanging in front of a nearby residential property.
The incident has renewed concerns over the theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure in the suburb where residents say power outages have become a recurring problem.
Some residents rely on electricity to run small businesses, preserve food and as such prolonged outages are costly.
When the news crew arrived at the scene, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) workers had already attended to the incident while police officers were collecting the body for further investigations.
Residents gathered at the scene as news of the death spread through the neighbourhood and according to some residents, the body was discovered by pupils who were on their way to school.
Mrs Londi Ngwenya said sections of Cowdray Park are frequently affected by theft of copper cables or transformer oil.
“Almost every week, a section of Cowdray Park is plunged into darkness after the theft of copper cables or transformer oil. We are tired of these criminals who are making our lives difficult,” she said.
Mr Givemore Murara, who sells chicken pieces for a living said power cuts were affecting his business.
“I sell chicken pieces so I need uninterrupted electricity for my business,” he said.
Mr Murara expressed sadness over the death but said the incident highlighted the dangers associated with stealing electricity infrastructure.
Another resident, who only identified himself as Charles, said the theft of copper cables and transformer oil was adversely affecting residents.
He said ZESA was replacing copper cables with aluminum in an effort to reduce theft.
A resident who lives a few houses from the scene said she heard a loud bang at around 10PM before the electricity supply to her home went off.
“I assumed that maybe a transformer had developed a fault and burst into flames, and I was shocked to see a dead man hanging from an electricity pole in the morning,” she said.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said police were investigating a case of sudden death.
