CP contractors arrested for attempting to tamper with electricity account
In an anti-corruption operation, City Power arrested two contractors and opened an investigation into vandalism and substation theft.
City Power (CP) arrested two contractors on February 23 after they allegedly demanded R46 000 from a customer to unlawfully reverse an electricity account reflecting arrears of about R149 000.
According to CP general manager for public relations and communication Isaac Mangena, the customer reported the matter to the utility’s Corporate Investigations division. A controlled operation was conducted in terms of Section 252A of the Criminal Procedure Act, during which R15 000 in marked notes was handed over.
The suspects were apprehended shortly afterwards and found in possession of the marked cash. They were arrested on site and detained. Investigations are ongoing, and further arrests or additional charges have not been ruled out. CP is also reviewing its contractual arrangements with the contractor involved, with blacklisting among the possible consequences.
“We view this matter in an extremely serious light. Any attempt to solicit bribes, manipulate accounts or unlawfully interfere with billing systems undermines public trust and constitutes criminal conduct. Our zero-tolerance approach to corruption applies equally to employees, contractors and service providers, and those found guilty will face both criminal prosecution and internal consequences,” said CP CEO Tshifularo Mashava.
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CP has intensified its anti-corruption drive following the arrest of two contractor employees in a joint operation with the Hawks’ Anti-Corruption Unit. The arrests come amid growing concern over repeated theft and vandalism at substations in Roodepoort, which have caused prolonged outages and raised questions about security controls.
“We will be conducting a full investigation into the security arrangements at substations where incidents have occurred to determine whether vulnerabilities are solely due to external factors or if there is possible internal involvement,” said Mashava.
CP said the pattern of repeated incidents suggests coordinated targeting of critical infrastructure supplying electricity to homes, businesses and public institutions. The utility has committed to strengthening monitoring systems, tightening access controls and conducting a full investigation into security arrangements at affected substations.
The utility urged residents to report suspicious activity near substations, including unauthorised individuals loitering nearby, suspicious vehicles or attempts to breach fencing. Residents can report incidents to City Power on 011 490 7900.
As Roodepoort continues to face infrastructure crime, the utility says it remains determined to protect the stability of the local electricity network and hold those responsible accountable.
