On Tuesday, March 9, 2024, a contractor associated with City Power was apprehended for his alleged involvement in the unauthorized reconnection of a property owing over R3.8 million in unpaid electrical bills. The Johannesburg Metro Police, in collaboration with the entity’s Security Management Team, took the male suspect into custody in Reuven.
According to a statement by City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, the suspect was officially charged with interfering with critical infrastructure upon being taken to the Booysen police station. Mangena revealed that the incident occurred following the launch of a money collection campaign targeting delinquent customers served by the Reuven Centre on March 7, 2024.
One of the disconnected customers, a business with substantial electrical arrears, was unlawfully reinstated just two days after disconnection. Further investigation uncovered the alleged involvement of a City Power contractor in facilitating this unauthorized power reconnection.
Mangena stated, “The contractor who was apprehended is facing charges of tampering with essential infrastructure and bribery due to his alleged involvement in the two cases of unlawful reconnections.” This incident follows a pattern of similar arrests made by City Power, with 17 individuals detained over the past two weeks, including two offenders sentenced to 10 years in prison for tampering with electricity infrastructure.
Mangena commended the judicial system for its stringent penalties against those found guilty of tampering and highlighted the effectiveness of the utility’s internal controls and collaboration with communities and law enforcement agencies in combating such infractions.