A wise resident from Wilro Park helped the City’s Group Forensic Investigations team arrest bogus City Power officials.
The officials are from a service provider that is contracted by City Power to conduct electricity disconnection services. It is alleged that the officials approached the resident on the morning of Tuesday, 19 February and introduced themselves as officials from the City.
They allegedly told the resident that his electricity meter belonged to a house in Ruimsig and that it was supposed to be a three-phase meter. They then threatened to disconnect the resident’s electricity supply unless he paid them R6 500 not to do so. The resident agreed to pay the money to the officials, but asked them to come back later in the day to collect the cash.
After the officials left the property, the resident informed the City’s Group Forensic Investigations team about the incident. A trap was then organised which was operated by members of the police. Later that afternoon, when the bogus officials arrived at the house to collect the cash, the police caught them in the act and apprehended them.
The officials appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 21 February.
According to City Power spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, it was not the first time that these officials had appeared in court for such a offence. “We urge residents to continue being vigilant and to report any corruption to our anonymous hotline 0800 00 25 87 or send a email to anticorruption@tip-offs.com,” he said.
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