JOHANNESBURG – As South Africa continues to battle issues of energy supply and infrastructure stability, City Power has once again found itself dealing with internal corruption and criminal acts committed by its own employees. The utility has confirmed the arrest of three of its workers, who were caught allegedly tampering with critical electrical infrastructure in the Ruimsig area, west of Johannesburg.
These arrests form part of a broader clampdown by City Power to eliminate cable theft, vandalism, and sabotage that continues to plague its operations and negatively affect thousands of residents.
According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, the three employees were apprehended for cutting through high-value copper cables — an act that not only constitutes theft but also endangers the lives of community members and disrupts vital services.
“These criminal activities often leave many communities in darkness. We really cannot and will not allow criminals, whether external syndicates or our own employees, to sabotage our network,” Mangena stated.
The incident took place earlier this year in Ruimsig, where several neighborhoods have suffered repeated and prolonged outages due to infrastructure tampering and cable theft. Investigations revealed that the workers were operating as part of a larger network involved in stripping and selling copper cables — a valuable commodity on the black market.
City Power Vows to Eradicate Corruption and Criminal Syndicates
This latest case is just one of several in which City Power employees have been implicated in serious misconduct. The entity has pledged to intensify its internal disciplinary measures while working closely with law enforcement to ensure that those involved face criminal charges.
Mangena emphasized that City Power is implementing a zero-tolerance approach toward internal corruption and infrastructure sabotage.
“Our paying customers are constantly inconvenienced by outages that are not due to load-shedding, but criminality. In areas like Roodepoort, for instance, there have been numerous cases of cable theft and infrastructure vandalism. These acts undermine our ability to provide stable and reliable power,” he said.
He further added that disciplinary hearings and legal action would proceed concurrently to ensure swift justice and to deter future wrongdoing.
While the arrests send a strong message, the damage done to the affected communities cannot be overlooked. Residents in Ruimsig and Roodepoort have experienced days — sometimes weeks — without electricity due to repeated cable theft incidents.
Without power, many families are unable to refrigerate food, charge phones, or operate security systems, while small businesses suffer revenue losses and equipment damage. These outages, caused by sabotage, are particularly frustrating for communities who pay their electricity bills diligently and expect consistent service.
City Power has acknowledged the frustrations of residents and said it is working on strengthening its infrastructure to prevent future incidents. This includes installing anti-theft devices, underground cabling, and expanding its network of security cameras and patrol units in high-risk zones.
To bolster its efforts, City Power has partnered with law enforcement agencies, private security firms, and community policing forums. The aim is to create a more coordinated and rapid response to cases of theft and vandalism.
Additionally, the utility has invested in technology-driven solutions like cable alarm systems and GIS mapping tools that help detect and respond to tampering more effectively.
“We are committed to investing in both people and technology to ensure our network is protected. But we also need communities to come on board and report suspicious activities,” said Mangena.
He encouraged residents to use City Power’s anonymous tip-off platforms and hotlines to report illegal connections or infrastructure sabotage.
This latest incident involving internal staff is a serious wake-up call for the utility provider. It underscores the importance of internal audits, employee background checks, and a stronger organizational culture rooted in accountability.
City Power reiterated that no one — not even its own employees — would be above the law if found tampering with or stealing infrastructure meant to power homes, schools, and businesses.
“We want to assure the public that this is not the end. We are going after every single person who thinks they can get away with sabotaging the grid. Our commitment to clean governance and service delivery is unwavering,” concluded Mangena.
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Source- EWN
