City Power contractors busted for bribe

Two City Power contractors were busted soliciting a R3,500 bribe from a Roodepoort resident on Wednesday night.

The suspects worked for an independent contractor which provided electricity disconnection services to City Power.

The suspects apparently approached the resident and promised to clear their electricity debt in exchange for R3,500.

According to mayor Herman Mashaba, the resident agreed to pay the required amount and informed the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS).

Both the GFIS and metro police department set up a sting operation which led to the arrest of the suspects.

The pair will appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

In September, a contractor providing electricity disconnection services to City Power was arrested for corruption.

The suspect was nabbed after he attempted to solicit a bribe of R3,000 from a resident in Midrand.

The Midrand resident’s electricity bill was in arrears and she was served with a disconnection notice. The official then approached the resident and informed her that she was there to disconnect the electricity.

She also indicated that if the client gave her R3,000, her electricity would not be disconnected.

The resident agreed to pay the money to the official but said she only had R1,500 and requested the official come back at a later day to fetch the outstanding balance.

The resident then informed the city’s GFIS which arrived on the day the official came to collect the money and made the arrest.

Mashaba said he was disturbed this was becoming a trend in Johannesburg after another contractor was also arrested for trying to solicit a R4,000 bribe from a resident in Helderkruin, west of Johannesburg, earlier that month.

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