By More Matshediso
Pretoria - Six employees of City Power have been arrested and charged with fraud and theft in relation to a recently stolen cable drum worth R4.5 million at the Randburg depot, Johannesburg.
The six suspects, comprising four electricians and two team leaders, were arrested on Friday, after five of them had been suspended from work while an audit and inventory of cable equipment was conducted.
City Power on Tuesday said several cable drums have been stolen, carrying cables that are 300 meters long.
The utility’s Managing Director, Sicelo Xulu, said investigations are underway to determine whether the suspects have links with organised crime syndicates.
He said as the investigations unfold, more arrests can be expected.
“These arrests are part of our anti-corruption drive that seeks to rid the utility of criminal elements,” said Xulu.
He said City Power this year has seen a spike in cable theft and corrupt practises, and in some incidents, contractors and employees were implicated.
“We are working with external parties to tighten internal controls in order to enhance operational efficiencies. This entails tightening our internal processes to close the loopholes and addressing existing weaknesses in the system,” said Xulu.
The theft of cables and vandalism of electricity equipment has plunged various Gauteng communities in darkness earlier this year, costing the utility and businesses millions of rands.
Xulu said the utility is encouraged by the success achieved thus far, but said more work was still needed to win the fight against cable theft.
The entity said it has so far managed to get close to 230 suspects arrested for cable theft, and the conviction rate stands at 86%.
“City Power cannot win this battle alone without the support of its employees, contractors and communities it serves. We urge and encourage our stakeholders to continue to work with us in order to deal a decisive blow to this scourge of cable theft and corruption.
“The vandalism of electricity infrastructure and theft of electricity is not a crime against City Power alone, but it is an offense against all the law abiding citizens and ratepayers in Johannesburg,” Xulu said. - SAnews.gov.za
