City Power confirms widespread meter tampering on 11th Avenue
City Power said their investigations found that all 384 households on Alexandra’s 11th Avenue had bridged or tampered with their newly installed electricity meters.
City Power has confirmed that every household along 11th Avenue in Alexandra has been found to have tampered with their newly installed electricity meters.
Spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed that, in October 2025, the utility rolled out 384 new meters and pillar boxes, as part of its infrastructure upgrade and revenue protection programme. The installation covered all households in the area, aimed at improving billing accuracy, stabilising supply, and curbing illegal connections.
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However, by January 2026, a sharp decline in electricity vending raised red flags. Mangena said investigations showed that all 384 meters had been illegally bridged or tampered with. “Meter bridging bypasses the metering system, allowing electricity to be consumed without being billed. It is theft, and places enormous strain on the network, causing outages, equipment damage, and safety risks, such as fires and explosions.”
He noted that the financial impact of this widespread tampering is significant, undermining City Power’s ability to maintain infrastructure, respond to faults, and deliver reliable service to compliant customers. Mangena explained that following engagements with residents, City Power reached an agreement on penalties for non–compliance. Standard households are required to pay R14 408, while pensioners face a reduced fee of R4 605. He said these penalties must be settled before electricity supply can be legally and safely restored.
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He further emphasised that the programme is not targeted at Alexandra alone, but is part of a citywide initiative to normalise electricity supply and protect infrastructure. Similar interventions have been carried out in River Park, Mayibuye, Pennyville, Freedom Park, and Tshepisong. “City Power remains committed to working with communities to find sustainable solutions while addressing illegal activities that undermine service delivery.”
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