City Power Cracks Down on Illegal Electricity Connections in City Deep

In a decisive move against electricity theft, City Power has disconnected 122 housing units at the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) complex in City Deep. This action, carried out on 20 January, targeted residents who had illegally bypassed newly installed prepaid meters.

The operation involved the removal of 122 tampered prepaid meters and 114 circuit breakers to prevent immediate illegal reconnections. Residents found guilty of meter tampering now face substantial fines: over R14,000 for single-phase connections and up to R30,000 for three-phase connections, covering the costs of replacing the compromised meters.

This crackdown follows a similar initiative on 15 January at JOSHCO flats in Kliptown Square, where over 120 units were disconnected for comparable offenses. City Power’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, expressed concern over the increasing incidents of newly installed prepaid meters being bypassed. He also revealed that investigations are underway into allegations that some City Power contractors and staff members are involved in facilitating these illegal connections, reportedly charging residents between R2,000 and R5,000 for their services.

Acting JOSHCO CEO, Nokwazi Mtshali, emphasized the dangers associated with meter bypassing, noting that it can lead to electrical fires, electrocution, and other safety risks that endanger all residents in the complex. She affirmed JOSHCO’s support for City Power’s actions and announced plans to increase audits across their developments to identify and eliminate illegal connections.

City Power urges residents to refrain from engaging in illegal connections and to report any suspicious activities. The utility is committed to working with law enforcement agencies to address the growing issue of electricity theft, which results in significant financial losses and damages infrastructure, leading to frequent outages for paying customers.

These operations are part of a broader effort to ensure the safety and reliability of Johannesburg’s electricity supply, highlighting the city’s zero-tolerance stance on electricity theft.