City Power disconnects ‘hijacked’ Houghton house
City Power, in collaboration with the Public Safety Department, has executed an electricity disconnection at a residential property in Houghton.
This comes after authorities discovered at least 90 undocumented foreign nationals unlawfully residing at the premises under unsafe and non-compliant conditions.
On Wednesday, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) conducted a raid on the premises where they found severe overcrowding and health hazards, raisings serious concerns over by-law violations, safety, and the illegal use of municipal services.
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Unlawful electricity connections have been removed during a joint enforcement operation led by the Public Safety Department and City Power. Conducted at a Houghton residence unlawfully occupied by over 90 undocumented individuals, this intervention underscores the… pic.twitter.com/pqj8FkMSeF
“In line with City Power’s mandate to uphold the integrity of the electricity grid and ensure lawful consumption, our team removed the feeder cable supplying the property and the internal cables within the yard. This decisive Level 3 disconnection is the highest form of cut-off, reserved for cases of gross abuse or illegal connection of electricity infrastructure,” said the utility’s spokesperson Isaac Mangena.
“We continue to support interdepartmental operations that aim to reclaim hijacked and unsafe buildings across Johannesburg, safeguarding residents and ensuring responsible use of municipal services,” he added.
Meanwhile, speaking with the SABC outside the house, Johannesburg Community Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku said they had reached the supposed owner of the house – however, after saying he was on his way to the property for more than four hours – he had not pitched by midday.
Tshwaku said all indications suggest the house is hijacked: “That is the modus operandi of the hijackers. Properties like this, house and flats, if its hijacked is usually under a company or a non-profit organisation. So, we believe that the house has been hijacked, and we are waiting for those people to come and account as to what is happening here.”
He says the City is determined to tackle the problem of hijacked buildings, but they have been met with challenges like where to relocate the occupiers.
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