Mozambique: Man electrocuted trying to steal power cables – Watch

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Mozambique: Man electrocuted trying to steal power cables – Watch

7:52 CAT | 06 Feb 2023

Screen grab: TVM

A man was electrocuted on Tuesday when he was allegedly trying to steal power cables from a Transformer Post in Mavoco neighbourhood, in the southern Mozambican district of Boane, about 30 kilometres west of Maputo.

As a result of the damage caused by the incident, there was an interruption in the supply of electricity to more than four thousand customers in Mavoco. The connection was re-established hours later after the intervention of technicians from the publicly owned electricity company, EDM.

An EDM statement explained that the incident occurred near the industrial landfill, on a line that feeds the transformer post from the Beluluane Substation in Boane.

The company warns that “accidents of an electrical origin can cause serious or fatal damage, such as the one that occurred in Mavoco, and so any intervention in the electrical infrastructure of EDM should be carried out exclusively by trained and duly authorized technical staff of the company.”

Despite the attempted theft, EDM regretted the death of this citizen and sent its deepest condolences to the bereaved family.

According to data recently advanced by EDM, annually the company loses about 100 million dollars from clandestine connections, vandalism and similar losses, an amount that, if saved, would allow many more Mozambicans to have access to electricity.

The company warns that this situation can compromise achievement of the goal of universal access to electrical power, planned for 2030.

Material stolen from EDM’s infrastructure, such as bronze and aluminium cables, angle brackets, and screws, among others, is then sold to informal scrap dealers, where it is used for various purposes. Much of it is melted down, and then turned into aluminium pots and pans.

Watch the TVM report.