Electrocution under investigation

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The circumstances surrounding the death of Stephan van Vuuren (23), the electrician from George who was electrocuted on 14 December last year, is under investigation by the police and the Department of Labour.

It has recently come to George Herald's attention that the incident that claimed Van Vuuren's life occurred at Hartland Lifestyle Estate in Hartenbos while he was installing a prepaid electrical meter box.

In response to a media enquiry to the Department of Labour, Western Cape provincial communications officer Mapula Tloubatla confirmed the incident is being investigated as prescribed in Section 24 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993.

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"From the information that was gathered during a preliminary investigation, it is alleged that the deceased and two other employees were working at a residential house in Hartland [Lifestyle Estate] in Hartenbos, to install a prepaid electrical meter," Tloubatla said.

Switch label

According to Tloubatla, the preliminary investigation found that the switch in the distribution box across the street was incorrectly labelled and it seems this resulted in the wrong line being switched off.

"No test was conducted before taking off the insulation tape on the meter box, and the locking system (padlock) on both sides of the distribution box was also damaged, rendering it ineffective for its purpose," she said.

According to Mossel Bay Municipality's Director of Infrastructure and Acting Municipal Manager, Dick Naidoo, the developer is responsible for the safety, safe use and maintenance of the internal reticulation in accordance with the electrical installation regulations.

"Mossel Bay Municipality concluded an agreement on 22 March 2017 with the Hartland development to provide an 11kV bulk supply connection to the development. In terms of the agreement the municipality's responsibility stops at the bulk metering point and the developer is responsible for the internal reticulation beyond the metering point.

"The implication of these conditions is that any switching operations for the isolation of the reticulation network downstream of the bulk metering point, i.e. low voltage networks, service connections and street lighting networks within the development, is the sole responsibility of the developer or his successors," Naidoo told George Herald.

Stephan van Vuuren

Investigation

Hartland Lifestyle Estate did not want to elaborate. "Hartland Lifestyle Estate (Pty) Ltd, the developer of the estate where the incident occurred, unfortunately cannot at this stage comment fully on the matter due to it still being under investigation," said Hartland's sales and marketing coordination manager, Jolene Smit.

"We however wish to place on record that the developer, as such, was not directly involved in the incident. However, the fact that someone has lost his life is tragic and our sincere condolences go out to the family of the deceased."

Southern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Chris Spies confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened for further investigation. Once the investigation has been completed, the docket will be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision to prosecute or not.

Van Vuuren's fiancée, Amoré Conradie, whom he was going to marry in 2023, told George Herald that she does not have any comment at this stage.

Stephan Van Vuuren and his fiancée, Amoré Conradie, were planning to get married next year. They got engaged exactly a month before his tragic death on 14 December last year.