City Power files charges against Lombardy West motor mechanic workshop owner

City Power has launched a criminal complaint against the owner of a motor mechanic workshop in Lombardy West for malicious damage to property.

The complaint, filed on October 24, follows recent efforts during a revenue collection drive in Alexandra aimed at addressing significant electricity debt in the region.

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The business owner accrued a staggering R900 000 in unpaid electricity bills and during attempts to regain power after being disconnected, is alleged to have demolished a wall safeguarding a City Power mini-substation.

Allegations further state that the owner unlawfully fenced in the substation on their property and changed locks, obstructing City Power’s access.

City Power acted swiftly, disconnecting the illegal power supply and removing the meter box and cables that were unlawfully reconnected.

City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava expressed strong disapproval of the situation. “We strongly condemn the alleged actions of the owner of this property not only for illegally reconnecting electricity supply after a legitimate disconnection, but also for the brazen destruction of our essential infrastructure.

“Such actions undermine the integrity of our operations and pose significant risks to public safety. We will take all necessary steps to address this violation to make sure that such behaviour is never repeated and to safeguard the community’s resources,” Mashava said.

Also read: City Power disconnects services to recover R21.5m

City Power’s revenue collection initiative has identified several properties for disconnection due to delinquent accounts, with a collective debt amounting to over R35m.

Among these are a towing company in Kew, owing R3.2m and another residential property with over R5m in unpaid bills, underscoring the challenge faced by the power utility in maintaining service provision amidst mounting defaults.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena highlighted the organisation’s commitment to addressing the rising debt levels. “As we have mentioned previously, these disconnection operations come as a last resort.

“City Power continuously engages with customers who have high debt levels to find amicable solutions for servicing their bills. Unfortunately, some customers fail to honour the agreed payment arrangements, leaving us no choice but to disconnect,” Mangena said.

Mangena warned of the consequences of illegal reconnections. “We have noted a concerning trend of customers illegally reconnecting their properties after disconnection operations.

“We want to be clear: This conduct will lead to arrests. Just last week, during a similar revenue drive in the Reuven SDC, two suspects were apprehended for unauthorised reconnections,” he said.

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