The three operators were suspended on 22 July 2025.
City Power alleges that its suspended operators arrested for cable theft attempted to cover up the theft by offering to replace the stolen cable.
The regional power utility confirmed the arrest of the three operators from the Roodepoort Service Delivery Centre (SDC), who handed themselves over to the police on Friday.
They appeared at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of tampering with essential infrastructure.
The matter dates back to 11 July 2025, when local private security officers providing armed response discovered an open trench along Peter Road in Ruimsig.
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They found a 185mm × 3-core copper cable cut on one side, and although suspects initially fled the scene, the officers laid a criminal case with the police while scouts were left to secure the cable.
While the case was being registered, the scouts reported that City Power operators allegedly arrived at the scene and cut the cable under the pretext of taking it to a salvage yard. The three operators were suspended on 22 July 2025.
The case was initially closed; however, City Power submitted evidence to the police, who reopened the case as a result.
Irregularities
Investigations also uncovered irregularities with a permit issued on 11 July 2025.
“While the document contained the names of the three operators, only two had signed it, and it misleadingly described the cable as ‘stolen’ rather than vandalised, a clear attempt to misrepresent the facts,” said the power utility.
“The implicated operators attempted to cover up the theft by offering to replace the stolen cable. Their requests were refused, but two of them later dropped off a different cable at the SDC. The replacement did not match the stolen one and was handed over to detectives as evidence.”
City Power fires employees
In April, City Power fired nine workers and suspended several managers on various charges.
The employees face charges ranging from theft to fraud, negligence and dishonesty.
They were part of 47 disciplinary cases processed between March 2024 and March 2025.
ALSO READ: City Power fires employees, suspends several managers
City Power said it had become clear that those responsible for destroying infrastructure for personal gain were part of well-coordinated groups, which may have involved its employees.
Last year, the Auditor-General’s report into City Power’s affairs flagged its internal control processes.
The report recommended an investigation, which was concluded in March. City Power’s investigation revealed collusion between employees and service providers, serious breaches in procurement and payment processes, fraudulent job numbers, and duplicate approvals.
This led to City Power suffering significant financial losses.
“We cannot and will not allow criminals, whether external syndicates or our own employees, to sabotage our network and undermine service delivery to paying customers, who are constantly inconveniently plunged into darkness due to these criminal activities,” said Mashava.
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