JB Marks Municipality Warns Against Throwing Foreign Objects Onto Power Lines

The JB Marks Local Municipality has raised alarm over a growing and dangerous trend of community members throwing tyre wires and other foreign objects onto electricity power lines.

According to the municipality, these reckless acts compromise the integrity of the power network, trigger unnecessary outages, and put both lives and infrastructure at serious risk.

Image: JB Marks Local Municipality

Dangers Highlighted by the Municipality

Residents have been warned that the continued throwing of objects onto power lines could lead to:

• Electrocution and Fatal Injuries: Conductive objects can cause short circuits, allowing electricity to flow through the object and fatally shock anyone in contact with it.

• Electrical Arc-Overs: Electricity can jump from power lines to nearby objects or people, even without direct contact.

• Short Circuits and Faults: Foreign materials can connect lines to the ground or bridge phases, resulting in immediate faults and large-scale power failures.

• Damage to Infrastructure: Repeated short circuits destroy transformers, conductors, and cable joints, leading to costly and prolonged outages.

• Appliance Damage: Frequent power failures expose household and business appliances to harmful surges, often causing permanent damage.

  
  

Appeal to Residents

The municipality strongly urged residents to refrain from throwing objects onto overhead power lines or tampering with meter boxes and mini-substations. These actions, it said, not only endanger lives but also threaten community safety and damage critical infrastructure.

“Together, let us safeguard our electricity supply and protect both people and property,” the notice concluded.

The JB Marks Local Municipality reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring reliable electricity supply and appealed to the public to act responsibly in protecting essential services.