An incident involving two technicians from the Juba Electric Distribution Company (JEDCO) has sparked public concern and internal protest after they were electrocuted while on duty last week.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, left the two technicians being hospitalized though one was reportedly discharged last Sunday an incident that prompted the company to launch an investigation.
JEDCO released a press statement Friday, acknowledging the “unfortunate incident,” confirming that two of its technicians were injured.
The company reported that one technician sustained minor injuries and has since been discharged, while the other remains hospitalized under medical supervision.
JEDCO did not however name the technicians but expressed its concern and extended prayers to their families.
According to a report by blogger and editor at large Tearz Ayuen, the technicians were identified as Job Makur, 28, and Richard Wilson, 53. The incident reportedly happened in Munuki while they were repairing a faulty service transformer.
Allegations of Negligence and Employee Grievances
The blogger’s report cites an anonymous employee who claims the incident was caused by negligence.
The employee alleges that the transformer was “energized from the substation without their knowledge” while the technicians were working on it.
This claim has fueled outrage among some national staff, who reportedly held a peaceful demonstration on Saturday to protest the incident and other longstanding issues.
In his report, Ayuen highlighted several employee grievances, including: Pay Discrimination where National staff reportedly earn as little as $200-$300 per month, while their Ethiopian counterparts allegedly receive over $3,000.
Additionally Excessive Workload, is one of the grievances of the national employees who are reportedly required to work seven days a week, with pay cuts for those who miss weekend shifts.
JEDCO, a public-private partnership between EZRA Construction and Development Group and the South Sudan Electricity Corporation, has yet to publicly comment on these allegations of negligence and pay disparity.
In its press statement, JEDCO stated it is taking the matter with “the utmost seriousness” it deserved adding it has formed an independent committee to investigate whether all safety procedures were followed.
The committee, which includes representatives from both management and the technical team, will recommend measures to “strengthen safety compliance and prevent similar incidents in the future.”
The company finally affirmed its commitment to the “safety and wellbeing of our employees” and its mission to ensure reliable electricity for the community.
This incident has, however, brought into question the company’s public commitment to prioritizing the safety and fair treatment of its employees.
