EFF election posters for the 2019 elections. Image: X/@EFFSouthAfrica.
EFF member dies while attaching election posters on a pole
EFF supporter Lekometse Monama who was electrocuted as he tried to attach an election poster will be laid to rest on Saturday.
EFF election posters for the 2019 elections. Image: X/@EFFSouthAfrica.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has sent condolences to the family of Lekometse Monama, a member who was electrocuted while attaching posters for the upcoming elections.
According to the party, the man lost his life while trying to balance on a pole that had an open cable with a live current.
EFF MEMBER DIES TRYING TO PUT UP ELECTION POSTERS
On X (formerly known as Twitter), Malema said he was deeply sorry to hear about the passing of Lekometse Monama from the eMalahleni sub-region.
“It is with great sorrow that I learned that he was postering and lost his life while trying to balance on a pole that had an open cable with live current,” he said.
“We have lost a brave and dedicated member of our movement, and my heart goes out to his loved ones. Please accept my sincere condolences, and I would like to express my gratitude to him for his service and sacrifice. Your family will always be my family, and I will always be there for them,” he further wrote.
Monama will be laid to rest at Ga Rakgwadi, Nebo village in Limpopo.
ESKOM WARNS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ATTACHING POSTERS TO ITS INFRASTRUCTURE
The EFF member’s death happened days after Eskom warned about attaching election posters to its infrastructure.
The power utility said it is illegal to put up election posters on its structures as this poses a danger to life.
Eskom said in the past, there had been incidents where people were electrocuted and shocked when putting up election posters, and this includes electricity poles, electricity towers, metre boxes, and mini substations.
The power utility said electricity is invisible to the naked eye, and the risk is that when someone gets close to or touches them, it may result in an inadvertent flash-over or electrical contact. Subsequently, this can cause severe injuries to the person or even be fatal.
Furthermore, Eskom emphasised that only authorised personnel can climb or work on the aforementioned electrical structures.
“Attaching posters to an electrical structure is not only a contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (No. 85 of 1993) but also puts the lives of your valuable employees, members of the public, and volunteers at risk,” Eskom further warned.
