Knysna boy electrocuted

KNYSNA NEWS - A 10-year-old boy, Siyolise Hoza died after he was allegedly electrocuted by an illegal power connection in Bloemfontein, White Location in Knysna.

The incident that led to Siyolise's death happened on Saturday 23 June, according to his grandmother, who says he was playing with friends in a neighbour's yard. It is alleged that he fell and landed with his head on exposed live wires.

Accident waiting to happen
This tragedy occurred within days after this newspaper carried a story about the illegal electricity connections in Knysna.

At the time, the municipality stated that they were aware of the illegal connections within the informal areas of Greater Knysna, and that their Law Enforcement teams had gone out to communities to remove the connections but that they were immediately reinstalled. "These wiring connections are illegal in that they do not comply with the wiring code. The municipality is, however, not losing revenue as the owner of the electricity box pays for all the electricity used." They also said that they were not aware of any injuries or deaths caused by illegal connections.

'He died instantaneously'
Speaking to the distraught woman who raised the Grade 4 learner from Chris Nissen Primary School, grandmother Nomakhwezi Funcuza this week said that according to the postmortem report, Siyolise died instantaneously. She said his body was still warm when they tried to resuscitate him and failed.

Siyolise Hoza's grandmother Nomakhwezi Funcuza next to the house where her grandson was electrocuted and died on the spot.

When the police arrived at the scene, she said, they pulled the electric cables at their neighbour's house and left them on the ground. "The municipality needs to do something about this. It is not the first time something like this happened and our children will not stop playing – they may stop now but will be back on the streets playing again in no time," Funcuza said, and added, "Let our loss and sorrow raise awareness about the dangers of illegal connections."

Animals suffer same fate
Funcuza said that for many years they have seen pigs and cows being electrocuted by these cables in the area. "I even remember saying that one day these cables will take someone's life, never thinking that someone would be my grandchild."

The boy's equally devastated mother Nondumiso Hoza, who could hardly speak to the newspaper, said she hasn't slept since she heard the news. "I last saw him Friday. I tried convincing him that he should spend the holidays at my place and thought I won, but he changed his mind and said he would be sleeping over at my mother's and that he would come to me the next day. I cannot believe that was our last conversation."

Illegal cables at Bloemfontein, White Location in Knysna.

'His pulse was still strong'
A community member who tried to resuscitate the boy, Luvuyo Fata, said the fencing from the yard is covered with illegal cables and that he believes the boy was hit by one of the cables on the fence.

"There were no cables on the ground, it must've been one of the cables on the fence, their electric current must be strong because it ripped open the spot just above his eye," he said.

"I found the boy lying on the floor, his pulse was still very strong, his eyes were rolling backwards, he wasn't breathing and he was foaming at the mouth. I thought if I could just make him breathe while we wait for the ambulance… Thirty minutes later and the ambulance was still not there and then we had to organise a private car because we were losing him – he peed, which is a sign of giving in. The car arrived and when I carried him to the car I kind of knew something was going to be wrong with him after not breathing for so long," Fata said.

These illegal cables can also be seen on the fencing of Knysna Municipality's wastewater treatment premises.

'Situation still evolving'
When approached for comment this week, the municipality said, "The situation is still evolving and at this stage the municipality cannot comment until all of the facts are available."

Knysna police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened following the incident. "Information available indicates that a group of children played rugby in a yard when the boy fell on a piece of open wire, an illegal electrical connection. The scene was later secured by the local electrical department."

Little Siyolise will be laid to rest on Saturday 30 June.

Some of the illegal power cables in the area.