Despite his initial electrocution and being able to drag his badly burned body some 80m through the bushes to find help, he still died about eight hours later.

This was the sad ending of a man who tried to steal copper wire along the Elim Road near Louis Trichardt last Tuesday, August 28.

Authorities were alerted that a badly burned man had been found along the road late that afternoon. Officials from the Makhado Municipality’s electricity department were the first on the scene. The injured man allegedly told officials that he tried to steal copper wire from the high-tension electricity supply line running across the road, but accidentally touched one of the live power lines when he tried to disconnect the power. He was taken to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital, but due to the severity of his injuries, he later died.

The man’s death again highlighted the possible fatal consequences of copper wire theft. Although tragic, the man’s death did not evoke sympathy from everyone. One municipal official initially remarked that he hopes the man survives so that his crippling injuries could act as a warning to other copper wire thieves. Over the last couple of years, the municipality has lost millions of rands due to copper wire theft and damage to infrastructure.

Evidence found at the scene bore testimony of what later led to the man’s painful death. He apparently burst out in flames, setting the veldt around him alight. His cloths were scorched from his body, amongst others melting away a CD in one of his pockets. From his burned wallet it was established that he might have lived in Tshikota. Other items included the tools he used to try and steal the copper wire. Municipal officials later said that he was well prepared and knew exactly what tools to use, possibly because he had stolen copper wire before.

Louis Trichardt police spokesperson Capt Ndwanato Vele said this week that the police have opened an inquest docket into the man’s death. He said, however, that the man is apparently from Zimbabwe. Relatives of the man came to remove the body from the hospital before the police could arrive.