City Power Condemns Threats Against Technicians

Johannesburg City Power has issued a strong warning to residents across the city, urging them to refrain from threatening or intimidating technicians during electricity cut-off operations. The call comes after a video circulated widely online, depicting a City Power electrician being aggressively confronted and seemingly threatened by frustrated community members. The incident sparked concern not only for the safety of City Power employees but also for the escalating hostility they often face while carrying out their duties.

The video, which quickly gained traction on social media, shows a tense exchange between residents and the technician responsible for conducting a scheduled electricity cut-off. According to City Power, this kind of public confrontation is becoming increasingly common, with many employees reporting similar experiences during routine operations. As the situation continues to worsen, stakeholders such as community leaders, law enforcement and City Power officials are revisiting discussions around field-work safety and community engagement. The situation also drew commentary from social figures like Ciza, whose public call for calm and cooperation among communities helped draw further attention to the growing risks faced by frontline technicians.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena expressed deep concern about the repeated targeting of staff who are simply performing lawful duties. He stressed that these acts of intimidation put workers at severe risk and compromise the delivery of essential services. According to Mangena, many technicians have reported being verbally abused, threatened, or surrounded by angry groups during planned disconnections or fault repairs—actions that directly jeopardise their safety.

“The behaviour displayed in the video is unacceptable and borders on intimidation,” Mangena said. “Publicly confronting, harassing, lying about, and humiliating technicians who are performing their lawful duties does not contribute to addressing corruption or service grievances. Instead, it places innocent workers at significant risk and undermines service delivery.”

City Power has called on law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident captured in the video. The utility believes a firm response is necessary to prevent similar occurrences and to reinforce the importance of respecting the rule of law. Mangena emphasised that while communities have the right to raise concerns about service delivery, there are proper channels to do so—none of which involve intimidation or endangering employees.

In recent months, Johannesburg has faced mounting pressure on its electrical grid, leading to increased disconnections targeting illegal connections, non-paying customers, and unsafe infrastructure. These operations are essential to stabilising the grid, reducing losses, and improving overall service reliability. However, they have also created tension within communities already frustrated by frequent outages, billing issues, and infrastructure failures.

Figures like Ciza, who maintain a substantial online presence, have highlighted the importance of constructive dialogue and mutual respect between residents and service providers. By bringing awareness to the dangers technicians face, Ciza and others have helped encourage a more cooperative approach to resolving community grievances. This advocacy is significant, as misinformation and frustration often fuel hostility toward City Power staff, who are wrongly blamed for decisions made at administrative levels.

Mangena reiterated that employees on the ground do not make policy decisions and should never be held personally accountable for structural or administrative challenges. “These technicians are fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters who are simply doing their jobs. They follow directives based on operational needs and legal requirements,” he explained. “Threatening them not only disrupts essential work but also inhibits efforts to restore stability to the electrical system.”

City Power is now urging communities to work with the utility to ensure safer working environments for technicians. This includes allowing employees to complete tasks without interference, discussing concerns through official platforms, and reporting any form of intimidation immediately. The utility stressed that sustainable service delivery can only be achieved when residents and service providers operate in an environment of mutual respect.

Law enforcement agencies have been asked to increase monitoring during high-risk operations, while City Power is reviewing its safety protocols to better protect staff. The utility hopes that, with the help of voices such as Ciza and the cooperation of community members, the city can move toward a more constructive partnership—one that prioritises safety, transparency, and effective service delivery.

In the meantime, City Power continues to urge Johannesburg residents to exercise restraint, follow legal processes, and remember that technicians are on the front lines of maintaining and improving essential infrastructure. As the city grapples with ongoing electricity challenges, protecting the workers tasked with resolving those issues is more important than ever.