City Power Highlights Copper Theft and Prepaid Fraud Concerns in Randburg

Infrastructure Crime and Prepaid System Risks Top City Power’s Randburg Agenda

City Power raised urgent concerns over copper theft and security breaches in its prepaid electricity metering system during its tenth Electricity Imbizo held in Randburg. The event brought together local residents, utility executives, and other stakeholders to tackle key issues facing Johannesburg’s power network.

Impact of Metal Theft on Electricity Supply

At the meeting, Acting CEO Charles Tlouane warned that the theft of both ferrous and non-ferrous metalsespecially copperhas had a severe impact on supply continuity in Randburg and across the broader Johannesburg area. Tlouane emphasized that infrastructure theft remains a persistent problem undermining power delivery, and he urged collaborative action beyond the efforts of City Power alone.

“There is a need for a collective effort led by law enforcement agencies, involving relevant government departments, communities, and stakeholders in the metal-trading industry,” said City Power’s statement.

Scrapyards operating outside regulatory boundaries and weak oversight by authorities were cited as major factors that enable the ongoing theft and vandalism of essential infrastructure. Tlouane added that successfully fighting cable theft must include addressing the demand from buyers and traders in stolen metals.

Electricity Losses and Role of Informal Settlements

The discussions also highlighted that City Power is currently experiencing non-technical electricity losses of approximately 20%. Tlouane attributed much of this loss to activities linked to informal settlements in Johannesburg, noting that about 400 such settlements are believed to contribute to the problem through illegal connections, unauthorised vending, and other illicit practices. Aging infrastructure further exacerbates these losses, making the system more susceptible to faults and leakages.

• Illegal connections and unauthorised vending are major contributors to electricity losses.
• The city’s older electricity network adds vulnerability to technical failures.

Prepaid Meter Breach and Resident Concerns

Residents attending the imbizo voiced frustrations over persistent outages, unsatisfactory repairs, and the high cost of electricity. Many also questioned the delays in converting customers between prepaid and postpaid systems. City Power had previously suspended these conversions to allow for a complete cleanup of its databases and systems.

During this process, Chief Commercial Officer Thamsanqa Mathiso revealed that the utility uncovered a significant security breach involving so-called “ghost vouchers”fraudulent voucher codes in the prepaid system. The breach confirmed the necessity of auditing and cleaning up the client database, which had temporarily halted meter conversions.

“City Power had initially anticipated that the investigation would be concluded by the end of the previous financial year in June 2026,” Mathiso explained. “However, the matter has taken longer than expected, prompting the entity to source the services of an external service provider to assist with the investigation.”

This ongoing investigation focuses particularly on residential meters that were not vending electricity, raising further concerns about potential tampering and unbilled consumption.

Progress on Network Upgrades in Randburg

City Power used the platform to update residents from Wards 98, 99, 102, and 104 on substantial infrastructure projects throughout Randburg. Notable milestones included replacement of about 1,600 metres of feeder cable in Bryanston Extension 3, and 98% completion of the Fontainebleau underground cable project. In Ferndale, the utility was replacing around 600 metres of feeder cable, with overall medium-voltage project progress across Randburg SDC reported at 82%.

• Public lighting upgrades are ongoing, with 85% completion in Randpark, 84% in Ferndale, and 85% in Bryanbrink and Daniel Brink.
• These infrastructure initiatives aim to boost reliability and reduce outages in affected communities.

Community Engagement and the Path Forward

The imbizo served as an avenue for direct community engagement around service delivery, system losses, and revenue protection. Residents were able to question decision-makers about issues impacting their daily lives, while receiving transparent updates on both immediate challenges and long-term infrastructure improvements.

Cities facing infrastructure threats and fraudulent activity must often rely on coordinated responses, involving not only utilities but also enforcement, private stakeholders, and ordinary residents. While City Power’s latest imbizo underscores current frustrations, it also highlights ongoing efforts to safeguard Johannesburg’s electricity network and restore confidence in public utilities.