OPINION

"A lesson in pain! This is what happens when you steal electric cables!" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, May 13 2013

Daily Sun (May 13 2013) - WHEN izinyoka go out to steal cables, they play a deadly game where a single mistake almost always leads to disaster. But this time Thabo Senyane cheated death and survived with disfigured skin and a sad message in his bewildered eyes. "TO PLAY WITH ELECTRICITY IS LIKE GAMBLING WITH YOUR LIFE!"

Even as the inyoka experienced the pain of the electricity ripping the skin off his face, he was already trying to run from the scene, knowing that he would have to face the anger of the people who are left in the dark and cold without electricity. But security guards trapped Thabo, from Mopedi Section in Katlehong, and called the cops. "I will never do it again," said the badly burnt Thabo, who claimed that he was looking for scrap iron. But if he was looking for sympathy he was not going to get it from the people, who said he was lying - and cops had to protect him from a beating.

Anna Majoe (71), who lives across the road from the substation, said it was about 3pm when she heard a loud bang outside. "When I went outside I thought I was looking at a ghost. The man's skin was pitch black and falling off his face," she said. "I nearly ran away" ...

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 330 000 and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

Issued through the Politicsweb iService