City Power plans to intensify the fight against the scourge of corruption and misconduct by some officials, service providers and customers.
The utility has planned new strategies as it realigned its operations with its revised business mandate. The changes are aimed at improving performance and ensuring that the business is aligned to its new mandate of being an energy company.
“This new operating structure is indicative of an organisation that is agile and responsive to the changing operating environment. This new structure will unlock value, improve customer service, streamline operations and enhance efficiency,” said City Power managing director Sicelo Xulu.
The anti-corruption drive will focus on high-risk areas around metering, specifically applications for new meters, relocation and reconnection of existing meters as well as the procurement processes within City Power’s supply chain unit.
The utility identified metering as a high-risk area flawed with unscrupulous officials and services providers who offer customers stolen meters that have been tampered with.
The utility’s board chairperson, Reverend Frank Chikane, urged customers to report these incidents. He warned that customers who collude with officials and service providers to carry out these unauthorised transactions would be liable to criminal prosecution.
“Meter tampering and illegal connections are not victimless crimes. They constitute theft on a massive scale against the ratepayers of Joburg. These acts of misconduct amount to theft against the poor communities,” said Chikane.
To date, City Power has registered 851 cases with police and the prosecuting authorities relating to cable theft, malicious damage to property and meters including domestic and large power users. About 782 arrests had been made with 274 cases that have already been convicted.
Customers can anonymously report incidents of fraud and corruption to the utility’s hotline toll-free number, 0800 00 251 or 24-hour hotline,
011 490 7553.
Details: City Power, 011 490 7553
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