An employee of the City of Ekurhuleni and eight business people were arrested on Wednesday for illegally connecting electricity to business premises in Alberton.
The employee was working at the Energy Department of the City, which is responsible for electricity connections and disconnections.
The preliminary investigation conducted by the City revealed the employee solicited bribes for illegally connecting businesses. The businessmen were also arrested.
All the affected premises were disconnected the same day during a law enforcement operation led by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department and the City’s energy department.
The City has suffered monetary losses amounting to R704.8-million for the financial year which ended in June 2018 due to non-technical electricity losses caused by, among others, illegal connections and the bypassing of electricity meters, said Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the metro.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Water, Sanitation and Energy Clr Tiisetso Nketle said it was unacceptable that the City lost electricity revenue that could be used to address other urgent service delivery needs.
She said the City would do all it could to rid itself of all rogue elements in its employ that were assisting criminal syndicates in the business community to do illegal electricity connections.
Nketle urged residents to report any incidents of fraud or corruption to the anti-fraud and corruption hotline on 0800 102 201.
