Latest news with #TshifularoMashava
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
City Power arrests 7 in major crackdown on copper theft and infrastructure sabotage
City Power (CP) confirmed the arrests of seven suspects over the past week, including three employees apprehended on Mandela Day. These arrests in Reuven and Lenasia were part of broader efforts to dismantle internal corruption, sabotage and theft threatening the city's electricity network. The most alarming development occurred in the early hours of July 18, when a trade assistant, cleaner and an Expanded Public Works Programme worker were intercepted while trying to exit CP's Reuven service delivery centre (SDC) with about 840 pieces of suspected stolen copper pipes. These goods, with a street value of over R200 000, were concealed in boxes inside a company vehicle. CP security officers detected the theft during a routine checkpoint inspection. The SAPS was immediately alerted and took the suspects into custody on site. All three now face criminal charges. 'It is disturbing and disappointing to find some of our staff allegedly involved in the theft of public infrastructure. These are people entrusted with safeguarding our network, yet they've betrayed that responsibility. We will pursue disciplinary action without fear or favour,' said CP CEO Tshifularo Mashava. These arrests came just days after a separate high-stakes operation in Denver, where CP security personnel, the SAPS, the JMPD and private partners came under fire during a shootout with suspected infrastructure vandals. On the night of July 13, at 23:20, security teams responded to suspicious activity on 485 Main Reef Road, Denver. Upon arrival, officers encountered criminals actively digging a 35m trench, believed to be part of a cable theft or sabotage operation. The criminals opened fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire under the cover of darkness. Fortunately, there were no injuries. A swift and co-ordinated response led to the arrest of three people, aged between 21 and 23, at the scene/ They face charges including housebreaking, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. 'The shootout in Denver underscores the dangerous and organised nature of these crimes. We are dealing with syndicates that are armed and unafraid to confront law enforcement. We commend the bravery of our teams and partners, and we will not relent in the fight to protect Johannesburg's electricity infrastructure,' added Mashava. These arrests form part of an ongoing internal clean-up campaign launched by CP in March. To date, 15 staff are undergoing disciplinary action, many of them linked to fraud, collusion with contractors and theft. Forty-seven disciplinary cases have been processed since March 2024, including multiple suspensions and one criminal prosecution. Those implicated include electricians, security officers, team leaders and senior managers. CP continues to urge employees, contractors and the public to come forward with any information about crimes targeting electricity infrastructure. All tip-offs are confidential. Call the call centre on 011 490 7900, toll-free on 0800 116 166, or via WhatsApp on 083 579 4497. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
8-hour power outage to affect these areas in Johannesburg
City Power Johannesburg has implemented an 8-hour power outage for regular electricity maintenance. 'The interruption is necessary to do maintenance work on our network, which is part of our programme of constantly striving to provide a better service,' mentioned City Power. Customers are urged to always treat their supply points as live, as the power supply may be restored at any time. The power outage will occur at Roosevelt Substation on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, from 8:30 until 16:00 in these areas: Blackhealth Risidale Northcliff At DBC Switching Station on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, from 9:00 to 17:00, these are the areas affected: Exchange Bond Grand Central Market Diagonal Part of Old Pretoria Road City Power Johannesburg has confirmed the arrest of seven suspects, including three City Power employees, in connection with copper theft. According to City Power, the three employees, including a trade assistant, cleaner and an EPWP worker, were caught attempting to exit a service delivery station with approximately 840 pieces of suspected stolen copper estimated to be worth R200 000 concealed in boxes inside a company vehicle. Some of the copper recovered. IMAGE: City Power Johannesburg/X. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava expressed disappointment in some employees' involvement in the theft. 'It is disturbing and deeply disappointing to find some of our staff allegedly involved in the theft of public infrastructure. These are individuals entrusted with safeguarding our network, yet they have betrayed that responsibility. We will pursue disciplinary action without fear or favour,' said Mashava. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- The Citizen
City Power concerned about rising attacks on their staff
City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava expressed deep concern over the escalating intimidation campaign against utility staff. City Power has suspended electricity services to Kanana Extensions 4 and 5 following escalating incidents of technician intimidation and hostage situations across Johannesburg. The utility condemns a surge in violent confrontations that have seen staff threatened, assaulted, and held captive while conducting routine maintenance work. The service suspension comes after community members stormed the Midrand Service Delivery Centre, blocked gates for hours, and prevented technicians from addressing power outages in the area. City Power technician held hostage during meter audit On Thursday morning, a City Power contractor was held hostage and physically assaulted at a domestic property in Florida, Roodepoort. The technician was conducting a meter audit and disconnection when the situation turned violent. The customer's account showed arrears exceeding R56,975. When informed of the disconnection, the customer allegedly became aggressive and confined the technician to the property. 'The suspect reportedly locked the gates, assaulted the technician and threatened him with a firearm,' said Isaac Mangena, City Power's Public Relations and Communication general manager. The customer claimed to have signed an Acknowledgement of Debt and paid R30,000, but no proof of payment was available on-site. 'The technician was merely following protocol and should never have been subjected to such violence,' Mangena added. While the contractor has not yet filed formal charges, Mangena stated that City Power strongly condemns the incident and urges customers to resolve disputes through official channels. ALSO READ: City Power schedules multiple 8-hour maintenance outages across Johannesburg Illegal electricity syndicate dismantled The Florida incident followed a major enforcement operation on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, in Tshepisong, Roodepoort. City Power's Revenue Protection Unit, working with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, dismantled an illegal electricity network operating from a private residence. Officials discovered the home was illegally supplying power to nearby households and a newly established informal settlement through underground and overhead cables. A vigilant resident had alerted authorities to the operation. 'Upon inspection, City Power technicians found that live supply lines had been tampered with and diverted from a municipal pillar, posing extreme danger to human life and infrastructure. 'Around 250kg of illegally installed cables were removed,' Mangena explained. The homeowner allegedly operated a backyard micro-utility, charging neighbouring residents for access to stolen electricity. While the suspect remains at large, investigations continue, and the matter will proceed to prosecution. Service suspension following community blockade Community members from Kanana Extensions 4 and 5 forced City Power to suspend services after blocking the Midrand Service Delivery Centre. The residents prevented technicians from leaving the facility, disrupting repair work across multiple areas. City Power technicians had responded to an outage the previous night and discovered the fault required daylight repairs on overhead lines. The task was scheduled for the day shift team. 'However, while our teams were preparing to conduct the repairs and sourcing the necessary materials, community members blocked the gates and refused to let them leave the SDC, further delaying the process of repair work in that area as well as in other areas,' Mangena said. ALSO READ: City Power to replace maintenance fleet with electric vehicles Pattern of City Power staff intimidation across Johannesburg Similar incidents have occurred across the city in recent weeks. On Wednesday, electricians dispatched to Rabie Ridge were held hostage and threatened by residents, only being released after the security team's intervention. Two weeks ago, services to Mayibuye were suspended for nearly a week after technicians faced threats and hostage situations while installing prepaid meters. Three weeks ago, City Power technicians and a contractor were held hostage at a Klipfontein substation during a power outage. 'Due to these continued safety risks, City Power has taken a decision to temporarily suspend services in Kanana Extensions 4 and 5, where technicians can no longer operate safely,' Mangena stated. ALSO READ: City Power suspends restoration in Mayibuye after technicians held hostage CEO condemns lawlessness City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava expressed deep concern over the escalating intimidation campaign against utility staff. 'We are deeply concerned by the rising trend of intimidation and threats against our teams. No employee should be forced to work under the fear of being attacked. 'These acts of lawlessness are not only criminal, but also jeopardise our ability to deliver services to those who need them most. Mashava said they would not put their staff's safety at risk and would not hesitate to withdraw them from any dangerous situations. Illegal connections compound service challenges The affected areas are known hotspots for illegal connections, meter tampering, and low vending patterns, which frequently cause overloading and repeated outages. Many communities have not been normalised through smart prepaid meter installation, with efforts often meeting resistance. Mangena noted that these issues have been raised with community leaders, and engagement continues to find lasting solutions. 'Some of these communities have not yet been normalised through the installation of our smart prepaid meters, and efforts to do so have often been met with resistance, further compounding service delivery challenges,' he explained. ALSO READ: When is the deadline to register for free basic electricity? Zero tolerance policy on City Power staff safety City Power views these incidents as symptomatic of growing risks facing Johannesburg's electricity grid, whether through violent obstruction of disconnection efforts or profit-driven illegal distribution schemes. 'Such acts compromise the safety of personnel, overload the network, and deprive paying customers of a reliable supply,' Mangena said. They maintain a zero-tolerance approach to threats against technicians, infrastructure tampering, and illegal connections. It said services will only resume once safe working conditions are restored. 'We urge all community members to refrain from these unlawful actions and to allow City Power technicians to do their work safely, including the vital task of normalising these areas for long-term energy stability,' Mangena concluded. City Power encourages community members to report suspicious or unlawful activity and emphasises that staff safety remains non-negotiable in service delivery efforts. READ NEXT: City Power explains why it charges some customers more than others
The South African
08-07-2025
- The South African
City Power announces 8-hour power shutdown in Johannesburg
Twelve areas in Johannesburg will experience an 8-hour power shutdown on Tuesday, 8 July 2025, Thursday, 10 July 2025 and on Sunday, 13 July 2025. City Power Johannesburg announced that the power shutdown is necessary to do maintenance work on their network. City Power said, 'The interruption is necessary to do maintenance work on our network, which is part of our programme of constantly striving to provide a better service.' The power shutdown will occur at different substations at different times. At Harry Galaun Switching Station, the power shutdown will occur on Tuesday, 8 July 2025, from 9:00 to 17:00 in these areas: Elias Road Part of Langeveld Part of Berger Street At Harry Galaun Switching Station, scheduled for Thursday, 10 July 2025. The power shutdown will occur from 9:00 to 17:00 in these areas: Pretoria Street Barbara Road At Soweto Substation, from 8:00 to 16:00, these are the areas that will be affected: Doomkop Doomkop Police Doomkop Military SANTA BP Garage In Westfield Substation, on Sunday, 13 July 2025, the interruption will occur from 9:00 to 17:00 in these areas: A power cable was stolen in Marshalltown on Monday, 7 July 2025, resulting in a power shutdown in some areas of the town. The areas affected are Marshall West, Anderson West, Main Street, Albert Street, Market Street, Fox Street and surrounding areas. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava allegedly believes that the theft was orchestrated. 'The sporadic targeting of our underground tunnel is not just theft; it is coordinated sabotage. These attacks are designed to collapse Johannesburg's energy backbone. We are facing an orchestrated attempt to reverse years of service delivery progress,' said Mashava. City Power urged the public to report any suspicious activity around electricity poles, meters or underground cables to contact 0800 002 587. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
News24
02-07-2025
- Business
- News24
City Power board launches corruption probe after News24 exposé
News24's ongoing Power Connections investigation has seen City Power's board state it will take action. A string of alleged governance failures has led to the municipal entity being saddled with a negative R16 billion bank balance. The board hinted that it would wield the axe for what it said were internal control weaknesses at the firm. For secure, anonymous communication with News24's Investigations team, click here. City Power's board of directors announced a sweeping investigation into alleged corruption following News24 reports detailing apparent mismanagement and governance failures at the loss-making power entity. In a late-night media statement on Tuesday, City Power's board chairperson, Makhosini Kharodi, said the utility's structure 'noted' the latest article of News24's ongoing Power Connections investigation. On Monday, the Power Connections series revealed an alleged nepotism racket headed by the entity's CEO, Tshifularo Mashava, who allegedly appointed her blood relatives, causing angst among usurped workers. Kharodi said the board-sanctioned probe sought to strengthen governance, accountability, and integrity within City Power. 'The review, initiated through the Audit and Risk Committee, will focus on the issues highlighted in the News24 article, including allegations of nepotism, unqualified appointments, and internal control weaknesses, as well as other concerns raised in the public domain,' the chairperson added. The claims of unqualified persons being appointed to senior positions as electrician team leaders come after the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) had two of its shop stewards and one branch secretary promoted despite not meeting the requirements, including academic qualifications and at least five years' experience. Samwu's Johannesburg regional spokesperson, Thobani Nkosi, admitted that the three union leaders benefited from what he called 'irregular deviations' that he said City Power's management sanctioned in appointing people who did not meet the team leader requirements. Moreover, Kharodi acknowledged the electricity company's cash-strapped financial status. The utility is saddled with a more than R16.3 billion negative bank balance as of September 2024, the end of the first quarter of City Power's financial year. The perilous financial position was contained in official City of Johannesburg reports, which Mayor Dada Morero allegedly concealed from the council and the public. The chairperson further conceded that there were alleged internal control weaknesses at the company, an assertion echoed by the Auditor-General's November 2024 report, laying bare the struggles of the municipal entity. The AG's report, which found that the electricity firm made a R2.8 billion loss in the 12 months ending 30 June 2024, recorded that City Power could fail as a company, owing to its liabilities exceeding its assets by more than R1.1 billion. The November report chastised Mashava and her senior management for handling the entity's affairs. It said there was a lack of 'adequate oversight' regarding compliance with municipal laws and regulations. The AG added that this followed management's failure to ensure that 'reasonable steps were not taken to prevent' irregular expenditures of nearly R4.9 billion, including fruitless and wasteful spending of more than R150.9 million. On Tuesday, Kharodi said the company's board took News24's revelations seriously, adding that 'interventions' had begun to fix City Power, including a structural review aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and oversight, and a 'revenue enhancement and protection strategy to address losses and improve financial sustainability'. On the investigation, Kharodi said: 'The aim of this process is to establish the facts, ensure appropriate consequence management where warranted, and reinforce ethical leadership throughout the organisation.' He added: 'City Power remains committed to delivering reliable service to the residents of Johannesburg while holding itself to the highest standards of public accountability.'
