One of the suspects revealed that a defaulting business owner offered R12,000 to be illicitly reconnected.
Joburg City Power has welcomed the arrest of four suspects who were caught trying to illegally reconnect a business premise in Marshalltown to the grid.
The group, who posed as City Power staff, was caught as officials started a disconnection operation for defaulting customers.
The incident comes a day after the business premises was disconnected for being R4 million in arrears.
One of the suspects admitted that the defaulting business paid him R12,000 for the reconnection.
Joburg City Power’s Isaac Mangena said that the business even tried bribing its risk management team.
“In a desperate attempt not to be disconnected, the officials from the company tried to give our officials a bribe of about R100,000 when they were approached and obviously our guys refused and proceeded to disconnect the very same business. So, it was disconnected twice.”
Mangena said that they would be clamping down on disconnected customers.
“We will continue to put all our customers that have been disconnected under strict surveillance and will ensure that they are arrested and handed punishment that feeds the crime of tampering with essential infrastructure.”
By: Gloria Motsoere
For more information visit: ewn.co.za
Comments