By Charmaine Ndlela
More than 20% of electricity outages in Johannesburg are linked to theft and vandalism, City Power acting chief executive Charles Tlouane has warned, citing criminal syndicates targeting electricity infrastructure and illegal developments placing additional pressure on the network.
“More than 20% of our outages are related to theft and vandalism, and it is a great concern to us as well,” Tlouane said.
He was speaking at the 10th City Power Electricity Imbizo, held at the Ferndale Recreation Centre in Randburg on Wednesday, where the utility engaged residents on persistent electricity supply challenges, infrastructure renewal plans and service delivery concerns.
The engagement, held in Region B, forms part of City Power’s programme to bring its leadership closer to communities and allow residents to raise concerns directly with the entity.
Tlouane said City Power was implementing interventions to stabilise electricity supply, but warned that criminal activities targeting its infrastructure were undermining these efforts.
He raised concern about organised syndicates stealing copper cables and replacing them with alternative conductors, including aerial bundled conductors (ABC).
He said the utility had identified groups posing as electricity workers, removing copper cables and installing temporary conductors to make it appear as though legitimate maintenance work was under way.
“In a place such as Brixton, for example, and it could be many other areas, we have realised that there are people moving around digging up our infrastructure. They are camouflaged, wearing City Power branding,” Tlouane said.
He said some individuals wore reflective clothing and overalls bearing the utility’s branding, making it difficult for residents to distinguish between legitimate maintenance teams and criminals.
According to Tlouane, the suspects remove copper cables and install temporary aluminium conductors. Electricity supply may continue briefly before the makeshift installations fail, particularly during rainy weather.
“When they work during the day, you think it is City Power maintenance because they become so professional. They remove the copper and install these temporary cables. Towards the end of the day, you see yourself having power and think all is well. Then, when it starts to rain, the problems begin,” he said.
He said the practice had contributed to recurring outages and increased repair costs for the utility.
Tlouane urged residents to report suspicious activities involving electricity infrastructure, but cautioned them against confronting suspected criminals.
He said legitimate City Power maintenance operations should be accompanied by street notifications and official work orders.
“We are appealing to you as our customers to assist us by reporting these issues. The protection of our infrastructure is not only the responsibility of the department. When we join hands, because this infrastructure benefits you, you must report these incidents,” he said.
Apart from criminal activity, Tlouane identified ageing infrastructure, equipment failures and network overloading as major contributors to electricity supply disruptions across Johannesburg.
He said some communities were still being supplied through electricity infrastructure more than 60 years old, despite continued urban development and growing demand.
The utility is implementing infrastructure renewal and replacement plans, with Tlouane acknowledging that much of the network requires urgent attention to improve reliability.
“We have challenges with ageing infrastructure, and we need to renew and replace some of this infrastructure. We have already started in Ward 104, where we are replacing old infrastructure. We are also working towards restoring plants that are currently out of service,” he said.
Tlouane said City Power had secured funding from German state-owned development bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) to address infrastructure challenges.
The City of Johannesburg announced this year that it had concluded a R3.8 billion loan agreement with KfW to finance critical electricity infrastructure investments at City Power over the 2025/26 to 2027/28 medium-term financial period.
Tlouane said the utility was targeting ageing copper cables that had required repeated repairs, with plans to replace them with alternative conductors less attractive to criminals.
The replacement programme would also cover power transformers, distribution transformers and ring main units, while the utility works to restore critical equipment currently out of service.
He said the interventions were intended to stabilise the network and reduce the frequency of electricity interruptions.
Tlouane also criticised property developers who proceed with construction projects or extensions without obtaining the necessary electricity approvals.
He said some developers were connecting new developments to existing infrastructure designed to accommodate lower electricity demand, placing additional pressure on the network and affecting surrounding communities.
He said development applications had to undergo assessments to determine whether existing infrastructure had sufficient capacity to accommodate additional demand.
“We are not against development. I think development is a good thing, but you must follow the right processes,” Tlouane said.
He warned that City Power would conduct audits to identify developments that had bypassed the required approval processes.
“We are going to do step-by-step auditing. When we find that you did development and you did not follow the right procedure, we are going to cut you off so that you do not undermine customers who have properly followed the development process,” he said.
He urged homeowners, developers and businesses planning extensions or new construction projects to consult City Power before connecting additional electricity demand to existing infrastructure.
Streetlighting was another major concern raised by residents, with Tlouane acknowledging that outages and vandalism affecting streetlights remained significant service delivery challenges.
He said City Power had experienced difficulties sourcing some materials needed to address outstanding streetlighting complaints, but was working to improve the situation as supplies became available.
The utility is also expanding its solar streetlighting programme. Tlouane said two solar streetlighting installations had been allocated to the region during the current financial year, with more planned for the next financial year.
He said City Power was prioritising solar lighting equipment capable of operating under different weather conditions, including during winter when sunlight levels are lower.
The utility was also considering expanding its high-mast lighting infrastructure to improve visibility in communities where residents had raised concerns about inadequate streetlighting.
On billing, Tlouane acknowledged that electricity costs and unresolved customer accounts remained major concerns.
He said City Power had inherited more than 8,000 billing queries and was working to reduce the backlog.
He urged customers experiencing billing discrepancies to approach the utility so that their accounts could be investigated.
“The intention is to resolve these queries as much as possible because we know that the customer who is happy with their bill is the customer who pays. We are encouraging everyone to come forward with those queries. Some are complex in nature, but we should be able to resolve them,” he said.
Tlouane added that City Power was reviewing its operational capacity and the use of contractors, with plans to strengthen its internal workforce while retaining access to specialised skills needed to maintain the electricity network.
He said the success of the utility’s infrastructure renewal and service delivery plans would depend partly on cooperation between City Power and the communities it serves.
He called on residents to report cable theft, vandalism and suspicious maintenance activities through the utility’s designated reporting channels.
Tlouane also thanked customers who paid their electricity accounts, saying the revenue was essential for reinvestment in infrastructure and improving services.
“We thank you for paying your bills on time. It is something that is very important and something that we really appreciate,” he said.
“The money that you are paying should be able to come back and re-invest in the infrastructure that we need.”
He urged residents to continue holding City Power accountable while working with the utility to address electricity supply challenges.
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