City Power cracks down on electricity theft in Alexandra
City Power has warned that those found to have illegally bypassed their electricity meters may face penalties of more than R14 000, while businesses could face penalties of up to R30 000.
The utility issued a stern warning to electricity users in Alexandra as it launched its major compliance and revenue collection drive.
The campaign aims to address widespread electricity losses and protect the sustainability of Johannesburg's power network.
The inaugural engagement was held in Alexandra on Tuesday.
The first in a series of Business Customer Engagements, under City Power's Revenue Enhancement Programme, kicked off on Wednesday.
The initiative has been designed to improve electricity compliance, strengthen revenue collection, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the city's electricity infrastructure.
As part of the programme, City Power said it would roll out a focused compliance and normalisation campaign in Alexandra, including street-by-street audits, smart meter installations, verification of electricity consumption, and billing assessments.
Similar engagements are expected to be rolled out in other Johannesburg communities, including Eldorado Park, Lenasia, Soweto, and the Inner City.
City Power said many residential properties have evolved into income-generating enterprises, including rental accommodation, student housing, spaza shops, salons, restaurants, and workshops.
"We all have a role to play in protecting and sustaining our electricity network. When electricity is consumed without being paid for, it affects everyone. We need communities, businesses, ward councillors, and residents to work together to ensure that electricity is used responsibly and paid for," said the utility spokesperson, Isaac Mangena.
Mangena said an estimated 1 600 customers, roughly 4% of Alexandra's 40 000 registered electricity customers, are actively purchasing electricity.
“This significant gap between electricity demand and revenue collection continues to place severe pressure on the network and limits resources available for maintenance, upgrades, refurbishment projects, and service delivery improvements.”
He reiterated that the illegal connections, meter tampering, cable theft, and vandalism are also costing the utility millions of rand annually and contributing to recurring outages and delayed restoration efforts.
City Power teams will conduct audits to verify electricity usage and ensure properties are correctly metered and billed. Smart meters will be installed where necessary, while customers whose properties have shifted from residential to commercial or mixed-use operations will be encouraged to migrate to the appropriate tariff structures.
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