Three City Power staff and friends are caught for copper theft worth R20 000

Three City Power employees of the Reuven Service Delivery Centre were apprehended along with two other people for stealing R20 000 worth of copper material from its Johannesburg offices.

City Power spokesman Isaac Mangena said the five suspects, aged 32 to 49, were arrested on August 4 following a raid by Security Risk Management and law enforcement agencies.

Mangena said the team received a tip about suspicious activity at City Power’s offices, which led to a quick response and the arrest of the suspects.

“During the arrest, one suspect, who is among three City Power employees, fled the scene. He was apprehended Monday, Aug. 5.”

Mangena said all the suspects face charges of theft after they were caught in possession of stolen copper soldering rods taken from City Power’s premises.

“The total estimated value of the stolen items is R20 000.”

Mangena said these arrests underscore the utility’s commitment to tackling theft and vandalism, especially when it implicates its own employees.

“In our assessment, we discovered that the challenge of copper cable theft and vandalism is made possible in part by those working within the organisation.

In response, City Power tightened its internal controls and instituted further security initiatives to make sure internal co-workers were apprehended and forced to face the facts and consequences of their actions for their involvement in this crime.

Mangena stated that there were 132 people arrested in the past year on charges related to theft and vandalism, including several City Power employees.

“In that period, 19 people were convicted of a cumulative prison sentence of 163 years combined. Part of that prison sentence (48 years) was completely suspended.”

He said the utility had suffered significant losses due to cable theft and vandalism, with the previous financial year alone costing more than R160 million. In the 2022 and 2023 financial year, the loss amounted to R113 million.

“In addition to the financial losses, this crime, which often results in longer power outages, also affects the entity’s ability to provide electricity supply in a sustainable manner that supports the economic and social development goals of the city.”

He said the arrests underscored their commitment to fighting illegal activities and holding accountable those who undermine the integrity of their operations.

“We will continue to prosecute all those involved in corruption and theft within our ranks and ensure that they are brought to justice,” Mangena said.

SOURCE:Three City Power staff and friends are caught for copper theft worth R20 000 – Volkskrag News