By Annisa Essack
17:06:2021

Newly-wed couple Zaheer Sarang and Nabeela Khan, from Johannesburg, who had just returned home from their honeymoon, were both found dead in the shower on Sunday afternoon.

According to preliminary investigations, the couple was electrocuted. Twenty-four-year-old Khan was allegedly electrocuted after touching a tap in the shower, and her husband was electrocuted when he tried to help her.

The couple’s neighbour, Hassan Aalim, claimed that they had been experiencing power outages in the area, and a complaint had been laid with City Power, but there had been no response.

Community activist Aziz Ally told the media that there were power outages in the area and that people felt a shock when they touched their taps.

Yusuf Sarang, the father of Zaheer, had warned the municipality that he would lose a family member if they did not sort out the voltage issues in the Johannesburg suburb where they lived. In an interview with News24, Sarang said he felt shocked when he touched the taps in his home. He decided to send the City of Johannesburg an email warning them that the issue could result in death or cause his house to burn down.

“…and my words weren’t cold. I have lost two people in my family,” the grief-stricken father said, adding that finding their lifeless bodies was one of the hardest things he experienced.

But he, too, received no response to his message.

However, shortly after the news about their death broke, City Power CEO Mongezi Ntsokolo ordered an urgent investigation into the allegations that a fault resulted in their death.
On Thursday, City Power officials, together with CEO Mongezi Ntsokolo, met with the Sarang family. The meeting ended with officials being asked to leave following a heated discussion that lasted for more than an hour after informing the family that the power to their home would be cut off.

City Power said its preliminary investigations showed the meter box was tampered with. The family said they feel victimised by City Power and its accusations.

[Listen] [Listen] to the findings of the preliminary investigation by City Power

“I never called for a meeting. They just pitched up here without an appointment, but I allowed them in because I thought they would come and pay their respects. But honestly, he started to tell me that his guys opened the box and saw one red wire that wasn’t supposed to be there, and that is the feeder that is taking electricity without paying. I stopped him there to say you are out of line,” said Sarang’s father, Yusuf.

Shortly after the meeting, City Power released a statement announcing that the preliminary investigation had found the meter box had been tampered with. The report, signed off by spokesperson Isaac Mangena, informed the Sarang’s that the power would be turned off. Once the legal requirements for a safe connection were established, the family needed to follow the reconnection process.

[Watch] City Power cuts electricity to Sarang home

Yusuf Sarang, reacting to the statement, says he believes that City Power was blaming him and that he could prove that he was paying for electricity. He also questioned why safety had become important after lives had been lost and that no response was made to the numerous complaints made three weeks ago.

“This is crazy, and it’s uncalled for. We are the victims here. They say I have got an illegal connection. I have been living here for 15 years. Is all this necessary when we are going through so much. Our lives are already difficult,” Yusuf said.

City Power said Mayfair and Crosby were plagued with infrastructure vandalism and people bypassing their meters. Mangena has also urged residents in Mayfair and Crosby to avoid tampering with electricity infrastructure, including bypassing meters, vandalising, and illegal connections, leading to the circuit malfunctioning.