Six suspects including a City Power contractor and employee have been apprehended and implicated in cable and equipment theft and vandalism.
City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava said on Monday that the suspects were nabbed in different parts of Johannesburg at the weekend.
Mashava said the City Power security risk management team received an anonymous tip-off that five suspects were attempting to steal a transformer in Hillbrow.
The suspects were caught in the act and arrested by law-enforcement agencies including the Johannesburg Metro Police Department.
“Another City Power contractor was caught on video removing 20 metres of copper cable and replacing it with ABC cable along Hamberg Road in Witpoortjie. He was taken to the Honeydew police station for processing,” said Mashava.
“City Power’s business operations are continuously negatively affected by essential infrastructure crimes, with the entity losing about R4-billion across the city from cable and equipment theft and vandalism every year.
“These crimes further contribute to delayed service delivery to the residents in the City of Johannesburg.”
Mashava further expressed frustration and disappointment about the involvement of City Power staff members in the crimes.
She said: “It is extremely disappointing for us as these are the people that are entrusted with keeping the lights on, but instead they are contributing to the lights being off.
“Since March 27, we have recorded 26 incidents of cable theft and vandalism and made eight arrests.
“Internal disciplinary action will follow against the City Power employee, and the City Power contractors will be fired and have their contracts with the entity terminated.”
Mashava further called on the public to report any theft of transformers or electrical equipment to the police.
“Tampering with essential infrastructure is a serious crime and carries a maximum of 15 years in jail without an option of a fine.”
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