A Nelson Mandela Bay father is being hailed a hero for saving his young daughter’s life but the truth is, neither he nor his daughter should have been in that situation in the first place.
Siyadumisa Mbombo rushed to Lekeysha’s aid at the weekend when he saw the five-year-old shaking uncontrollably in the terrifying grip of an illegal electrical connection.
The father of two did not survive the ordeal, which occurred in the Vastrap informal settlement in Booysen Park at the weekend,
Lekeysha is recovering in hospital.
Mbombo’s desperate bid to rescue little Lekeysha has once again highlighted the dangers of illegal electricity connections.
Visiting the family on Monday morning, a reporter from The Herald noticed numerous exposed electricity cables throughout the area where the incident occurred at the weekend.
Lekeysha’s mother, Mercy Meyer, described how Lekeysha had been playing on a pile of sand with two friends in an open field next to their neighbour’s house when they heard screaming and someone came running to them saying there was something wrong with Lekeysha.
“We ran to her.
“Siya was so quick.
“We just saw Lekeysha shaking with the wires about her.
“He grabbed the cable with his bare hands and that’s when he started shaking,” she said.
Meyer said she started screaming in sheer terror, pleading for help.
“Community members rushed to help us.”
Lekeysha was rushed to Livingstone Hospital and later transferred to Dora Nginza.
“Siya didn’t make it, unfortunately.”
Sadly, this is a widespread problem in the Bay.
We all know by now that illegal electricity connections expose individuals to grave risks and pose a myriad of dangers, ranging from electrocution and fires to economic instability.
The incident involving Mbombo and Lekeysha was not the first and, unless illegal connections are completely eradicated, it will not be the last.
Getting rid of these illegal connections and putting an end to any further makeshift electrical connections will require a comprehensive approach encompassing regulatory measures, enforcement efforts, public awareness campaigns and community engagement initiatives.
And it will take input from all — municipalities and communities — if we are to prevent any further tragedy because of illegal electricity connections.
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