City Power has intensified its fight against electricity theft and infrastructure sabotage, warning that “no one is above the law” after the arrest of three contractor employees allegedly caught tampering with critical electricity infrastructure in Randburg.

The arrests, made during a live intelligence-led operation on Tuesday, 2 June, mark the latest development in the utility’s campaign to combat infrastructure-related crime, which continues to cost millions of rand and threaten the stability of Johannesburg’s electricity network.

The suspects, aged between 35 and 42, were apprehended in Beverley Gardens after City Power security officials acted on information about suspicious activity at the corner of Roos and Geduld streets.

According to the utility, the contractors had been authorised to excavate approximately 20 metres to repair a cable fault. However, investigators allegedly discovered that the excavation had been extended to about 50 metres without approval and that an underground electricity cable had been exposed and removed.

City Power said subsequent investigations revealed that neither the team leader nor management had authorised the removal or storage of the cable. Instead of being taken to an approved salvage yard, the material was allegedly transported to a storage facility.

Officials recovered approximately 20 metres of 120mm aluminium cable, which has since been secured as evidence.

The suspects were arrested at the scene and handed over to law enforcement authorities. They remain in custody pending criminal proceedings.

City Power Acting Chief Executive Officer, Charles Tlouane, said the arrests send a strong message that criminal activity within the utility’s operational environment will not be tolerated.

“This case confirms that criminality within the electricity network is not limited to external actors. When contractors abuse their technical access and operate outside their authorised scope of work, they become active participants in infrastructure sabotage. That will be met with zero tolerance, regardless of position or access level,” he said.

The operation forms part of a broader crackdown on non-technical losses, which include illegal electricity connections, meter tampering, electricity bypasses, insider collusion, infrastructure theft and organised sabotage.

Tlouane said these activities represent electricity that City Power purchases and distributes but cannot bill for, resulting in significant revenue losses.

“The result is a growing financial haemorrhage that weakens grid stability, increases operational pressure and unfairly shifts the burden onto paying customers and compliant businesses,” he said.

In a separate operation conducted on 29 May, City Power and law enforcement officials uncovered an alleged electricity bypass at a motor service business in Kya Sand and Stormill.

The property reportedly owes close to R2 million, including approximately R1.5 million to City Power. Investigators allege that the electricity supply had been manipulated to avoid accurate metering and billing.

After management initially refused officials access to the premises, law enforcement intervened and secured entry. A suspect linked to the management of the business was subsequently arrested on charges relating to tampering with essential infrastructure.

Statistics released by City Power paint a picture of the scale of the challenge facing the utility.

Between January and May this year, Johannesburg recorded 433 infrastructure-related incidents. The highest number was recorded in January with 112 incidents, followed by 97 in February, 65 in March, 89 in April and 70 in May.

Over the same period, 97 suspects were arrested for infrastructure-related offences, with April recording the highest number of arrests at 31.

The utility says its enforcement efforts are beginning to yield results. During the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, 21 suspects were convicted and collectively sentenced to 146 years in prison. This represented a significant increase from the corresponding period in the previous financial year, when five convictions resulted in a combined 49 years behind bars.

Three additional convictions linked to immigration-related offences associated with infrastructure crimes were secured in May, with sentences ranging from six months to two years’ imprisonment.

City Power has since launched disciplinary and contractual processes against the service provider linked to the latest arrests and strengthened oversight of outsourced operations.

The utility says intelligence-driven operations, hotspot patrols and joint law enforcement initiatives will continue as authorities seek to dismantle criminal networks targeting Johannesburg’s electricity infrastructure.