Five City Power employees arrested for theft of copper material
During the arrest, one of the suspects managed to flee, but was eventually arrested on August 5.
Five people have been arrested for stealing some copper materials from City Power premises, with three of those suspects employed at the entity’s Reuven Service Delivery Centre.
The five suspects, aged between 32 and 49, were detained following a planned sting operation led by Security Risk Management in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
City Power Spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the operation was executed on August 4 after receiving a tip-off regarding suspicious activity at one of our offices.
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During the process of the arrest, one suspect, who is among the three City Power employees, fled from the scene.
He was apprehended on August 5. The suspects face charges of theft after they were caught in possession of stolen copper brazing rods taken from City Power’s premises.
He said the total estimated value of the stolen items is R20,000.
Mangena said these arrests are a testament to the utility’s efforts in clamping down on the problem of theft and vandalism.
“In our assessment, we discovered that the challenge of copper cable theft and vandalism is, in part, enabled by those who are working within the organisation.
In response to that, City Power tightened its internal control measures and introduced further security initiatives to make sure that internal collaborators are nabbed and forced to face the music for their involvement in this crime,” said Mangena.
At least 132 people were arrested on different offences related to theft and vandalism in the preceding fiscal year.
During that time, 19 people were convicted, serving a total of 163 years in jail. A portion of the prison term (48 years) was completely suspended.
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“We call on the judiciary to give appropriate sentences to those convicted on charges of cable theft and vandalism in order to send out a strong message against criminals and not give lenient sanctions that might inadvertently encourage others to take part in the crime,” said Mangena.
He said due to cable theft and vandalism, City Power has suffered large losses; in the last fiscal year alone, expenditures surpassed R160 million. In the fiscal year 2022–2023, City Power had an R113 million loss.
“In addition to the financial losses, this crime, which often results in longer power outages, also impacts the entity’s ability to provide electricity supply in a sustainable manner that supports the economic and social developmental objectives of the city.
That is why we insist that the courts must reign in hard on those convicted because the consequences of their actions have far-reaching implications for the economy of the city and the well-being of its residents,” he said.
These arrests underscores commitment to combating such illegal activities and holding accountable those who compromise the integrity of our operations.
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“We will continue to pursue all those who are involved in corruption and theft within our ranks and ensure that they are brought to justice.
“City Power remains resolute in its efforts to protect its assets and uphold the highest standards of conduct among its employees,” he concluded.
