By Mashamba Media
news@alexreporter.co.za
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 the Security Risk Management in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
The operation was executed on Sunday evening, 04 August 2024, after receiving a tip-off regarding suspicious activity at one of our offices.
During the course of the arrest, one suspect, who is among the three City Power employees, fled from the scene. He was apprehended on Monday, 05 August 2024.
City Power spokesperson, Isaac Mangena said the suspects face charges of theft, after they were caught in possession of stolen copper brazing rods taken from City Power’s premises.
“The total estimated value of the stolen items is R20,000.
These arrests are testament of 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.
In the previous financial year, a total of 132 people were arrested on various charges linked to theft and vandalism, with some of those being fellow employees.
“In that period, 19 people were convicted to a cumulative prison sentence of 163 years combined. Part of that of prison sentence (48 years) was wholly suspended,” said Mangena.
Mangena has called for 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 would-be criminal, and not give lenient sanctions that might inadvertently encourage others to take part in the crime”.
He said the City Power has faced significant losses due to cable theft and vandalism, with the previous financial year alone incurring costs exceeding R160 million.
In the 2022/2023 financial year, the power utility lost R113 million. “In addition to the financial losses, this crime, which often results in lengthier power outages, also impact the entity’s ability to provide electricity supply in a sustainable manner that supports economic and social developmental objectives of the city.
“That’s 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.
