By Mashamba Media
news@alexreporter.co.za
City Power CEO Ms Tshifularo Mashava has welcomed the arrest of fifteen people during a City
Power led intelligence operation. This occurred as the power utility’s efforts to combat the scourge of cable theft and vandalism intensifies.
“Out of the 15 suspected cable thieves, nine are security officers contracted by City Power, something we find deeply concerning.
” These security officers are among some of the internal collaborators that we have been tracking and vowed to bring down in the process of fighting
back against the destructive acts of tampering with essential infrastructure.
“This group of suspects were nabbed between Friday and Saturday morning during a multipronged
joint operation between the entity’s Security Risk Management and law enforcement agencies led
by SAPS Essential Infrastructure Task Team,” said Mashava.
Mashava said the first three suspects were caught at a scrap metal
dealership in the Joburg CBD.
She said leads were followed on more and later in the evening, three more
men were arrested in the Inner-city along the underground tunnels.
“This was particularly worrying given the catastrophic destruction that occurred several weeks ago in Braamfontein as a result of theft and vandalism in these tunnels.
“In Reuven at City Power Head Offices, two security guards were handcuffed after the cable that was found and confiscated from a scrap metal dealer in the Inner City was found in their car ready to be taken out of the salvage yard.”
She said seven other guards were also captured during the intelligence operation.
“City Power finds the involvement of contracted security officers particularly worrying, because these are the people that have been entrusted with the duty of safeguarding our infrastructure.
“However, these arrests are testament of our unwavering resolve as the municipal utility, in dealing
with the problem of theft and vandalism, whether perpetrated by outsiders or those from within.
“Early this financial year we reinforced our security operations with extra intelligence and technology
muscle to unmask some of these internal collaborators,” said Mashava.
She strongly condemned this conduct and assured the public that even those among” us implicated will not be spared. We have never ruled out the involvement of our contractors and staff in the theft and vandalism problem”.
“This involvement of internal staff undermines efforts of combating the scourge and that’s why City Power has tightened its internal controls and involved law enforcement agencies
to help in rooting out these destructive elements,” she added.
City Power has once again warned internal staff that the net is closing in on everyone who’s involved in the destructive business of vandalism.
“This warning goes to City Power employees and those contracted to do work on behalf of the entity. The entity will spare no attempt in making sure
that everyone arrested, face the full might of the law.
“We commend the collaborative work with the SAPS, JMPD, community policing forums and private security in different parts of Johannesburg in
dealing with cable theft and vandalism,” she said.
