A City Power Johannesburg metering technician was killed after being electrocuted during operations in Crown Mines, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, 13 May 2026, in an incident reportedly linked to an illegal electricity connection.
According to preliminary information released following the incident, the technician had been walking toward a transformer switching station situated on Planet Avenue when he allegedly stepped onto an illegally connected aerial electricity cable. The contact reportedly resulted in a fatal electric shock.
Emergency personnel and technical teams responded to the scene shortly after the incident was reported. The electrocution also triggered an unplanned power outage in the surrounding area as operations were halted and the site secured.
City Power Johannesburg confirmed the death of the employee and announced that all technical operations at the location had been suspended pending further safety assessments. The utility stated that no additional work would continue at the site until the Department of Labour declared the area safe for operational teams.
In a statement issued after the incident, City Power condemned illegal electricity connections, warning that they continue to pose severe risks to workers, residents, and public infrastructure. The utility said illegal connections often expose live electrical cables, overload infrastructure, damage transformers, and contribute to repeated outages affecting communities across Johannesburg.
The power utility further warned that illegal connections create dangerous working conditions for field technicians and contractors who are regularly required to operate in high-risk environments while responding to outages and maintenance work. City Power stated that exposed or unlawfully installed cables can remain live and undetected, increasing the likelihood of fatal incidents.
Authorities indicated that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the electrocution are continuing. Officials are expected to assess how the illegal connection was installed, whether additional unsafe connections are present in the area, and the exact sequence of events leading to the technician’s death.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the ongoing problem of electricity theft and illegal power connections in parts of Johannesburg and Gauteng. Municipal authorities and electricity providers have repeatedly warned that unlawful electrical installations not only disrupt power supply but also place communities and utility employees at constant risk of injury or death.
City Power extended condolences to the deceased technician’s family, friends, and colleagues, describing the loss as a tragedy for the organisation and for employees working daily to maintain and restore electricity services across the city.
The Department of Labour and relevant authorities are expected to continue with safety inspections and investigations at the Crown Mines site.
OTHER NEWS
47-year-old CCTV installer is recovering in hospital after he was allegedly kidnapped, shot multiple times and left for dead near a graveyard in Pienaar, Mpumalanga.
According to information surrounding the incident, the man was discovered after managing to crawl from the isolated area towards a nearby main road in an attempt to seek help. Members of the public reportedly noticed the injured man and alerted emergency services and police.
The incident allegedly occurred near a graveyard in Pienaar, east of Mbombela. Reports indicate that the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the attack. Despite his injuries, he managed to move away from the scene where he had allegedly been abandoned.
Emergency responders treated the man at the scene before transporting him to hospital for further medical care. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the full extent of his injuries, but he survived the attack and remains under medical treatment.
Preliminary information suggests the victim works as a CCTV installer. Investigators are reportedly examining whether the attack may have been linked to robbery or criminal activity involving expensive equipment commonly carried by technicians and installers.
Police have not yet confirmed the exact sequence of events leading up to the shooting, and no arrests had been announced at the time of reporting. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged kidnapping and attempted murder.
The incident has raised further concerns about violent crime in parts of Mpumalanga, where armed robberies, kidnappings and attacks on workers transporting valuable equipment have become increasingly common in recent years.
Law enforcement officials are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the Pienaar area or who may have information regarding the suspects involved to contact police.
Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
) -->
