Johannesburg – Eskom on Saturday warned political parties against placing election posters on electrical structures.
“In the past, there have unfortunately been incidents where persons have been electrocuted or shocked when putting up these posters,” the power utility said in a statement.
“As such, Eskom would like to caution all political parties against the dangerous practice of placing campaign posters on electrical structures.
“This includes electricity poles, electricity towers, meter boxes, and mini substations.”
Eskom warned that electricity was invisible to the naked eye and the risk was that when someone gets close to or touches electrical structures it may result in an inadvertent flash-over or electrical contact.
“This can cause serious injuries to the person or even be fatal,” Eskom said.
“Only authorised personnel are allowed to climb or work on these electrical structures.
The power utility also referred to Section 19 (5) of the Electrical Machinery Regulations, which states: “No person shall encroach in person or with objects on the minimum safety clearances required in terms of sub-regulation (1) or require or permit any other person to do so except by permission of the supplier or user operating the powerline”.
“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,” the statement said.
“Eskom cares about your safety and we request you to refrain from attaching posters to electrical structures to prevent injury or loss of lives.”
The warning comes as South Africa prepares for elections on 29 May 2024, and political parties put up election posters as part of their campaigns.
