City Power: Recovered cables and equipment sold only as scrap

City Power confirms recovered cables and equipment are processed as scrap after Midrand operation

City Power has told residents and stakeholders that cables and other electricity equipment recovered during recent operations in Midrand and Alexandra are taken to a salvage yard and can only be sold as scrap. The utility revealed the disposition of seized material after an operation in Midrand last week that recovered cables and transformers it valued in the hundreds of thousands and millions of rand,

An illegal transformer found inside a shack in Kanana, Midrand, was photographed by City Power. The utility said the installation was connected to a network of illegal cables affecting supply.

What was recovered and where

City Power reported that during a coordinated emergency cut-off operation in the Kanana informal settlement and Klipfontein View in Midrand, teams recovered substantial infrastructure that had been used in unauthorised connections. The utility said it retrieved cables estimated at R500 000 and two transformers estimated at R2 million during the Midrand operation.

The Midrand work was carried out by City Power teams in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). City Power also referenced recent activity in other parts of the city, saying it had conducted disconnections this month in parts of the city centre and operated in Alexandra last month, where it recovered aluminium cable.

On the Alexandra recoveries, City Power said “thousands of kilograms of aluminium cables” were weighed at its salvage yard and an estimated value of R200 000 was assigned to the recovered aluminium cable.

How the utility handles recovered material

City Power described a specific chain for seized materials: recovered cables and other infrastructure are transported to the utility’s salvage yard, recorded and then processed. The utility said it weighs and verifies recovered infrastructure before determining value.

“The value of recovered aluminium cable is determined based on the weight of the material and the applicable scrap value,” City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said.

City Power made clear that recovered aluminium cables are not returned to City Power’s operational stock. Instead, the utility said the material is sold as scrap through a tender process. In its words, the material is “ordinarily sold to the highest bidder” and the selection of the successful bidder is governed by applicable procurement and disposal processes.

Details from the Midrand operations

City Power said the Midrand operation uncovered unauthorised installations that had been affecting supply to customers in Rabie Ridge Extensions 1, 2, 3 and 5. In Kanana, officials found a transformer installed inside a shack and connected to a network of illegally installed cables; the utility reported that it recovered one ton of cables estimated to be worth R500 000 and two transformers with a combined estimated value of R2 million.

In Klipfontein View, City Power reported that reinforced locks on a mini-substation had been removed and the equipment forcibly opened. The utility said it removed three breakers, disconnected illegal connections and that a case was opened with the Rabie Ridge SAPS.

Why City Power emphasised scrap-only sales

The utility’s statement explained the practical steps it follows once material is recovered: transport to a salvage yard, recording, weighing and valuation based on weight and scrap value. Those steps inform its position that recovered aluminium cable and similar infrastructure cannot be re-entered into operational stock and must be disposed of through tender as scrap.

This approach reflects a separation between seized material and the utility’s working inventory: City Power emphasised verification and procurement rules that determine how salvaged material is offered for sale and who may acquire it.

Impact on supply and enforcement activity

City Power said the illegal connections it uncovered had repeatedly disrupted electricity supply in the affected areas and had placed additional pressure on the broader network. The presence of unauthorised installations in the city led the utility to carry out targeted disconnections and emergency operations to isolate and remove illicit taps into the distribution system.

Operations of this kind are typically carried out with law enforcement and municipal partners, as City Power reported for the Midrand actions where SAPS and JMPD personnel worked alongside utility teams. City Power also noted previous activity in Alexandra where significant volumes of aluminium cable were recovered and processed at the salvage yard.

What residents and stakeholders should know

From the information City Power provided, residents in affected areas are likely to see targeted disconnections where illegal networks are found and removed. The utility’s statement makes clear that recovered cable will be recorded, verified and disposed of as scrap through formal procurement channels rather than being reused in the network.

Where criminal interference with infrastructure is discovered, City Power’s reports indicate that the utility works with police to open cases and to secure substations and other equipment before removing or replacing damaged components.

Next steps and wider context

City Power’s public account focuses on the immediate handling and valuation of recovered material and on the operational impact of illegal connections. The utility’s description of salvage-yard procedures and tender disposal provides clarity on how recovered infrastructure is treated.

Readers should note that City Power attributed the values and the handling process to measurements and procurement steps carried out after recovery; the utility supplied specific estimates for the Midrand and Alexandra recoveries in its statement.

Key facts recap:

• City Power conducted an emergency cut-off operation in Kanana and Klipfontein View, Midrand, last week.
• The utility reported recovering cables estimated at R500 000 and two transformers estimated at R2 million during that operation.
• City Power said it weighed and verified recovered aluminium cable from an Alexandra operation and assigned an estimated value of R200 000 to that material.
• Recovered aluminium cables are taken to a salvage yard, not returned to operational stock, and are sold as scrap through a tender process governed by procurement and disposal rules.

The information above is based on City Power’s statement and remarks from spokesperson Isaac Mangena, as reported on 20 October 2026.