By Everson Luhanga
- A man identified as Majit Amin is accused of leading mobs to block City Power teams and threatening workers with violence, including a gun.
- City Power says most residents in Eldorado Park are not paying for electricity and entire areas could be switched off to protect the grid.
City Power says a man accused of threatening workers and spreading dangerous lies is putting the lives of technicians and the community at risk.
Isaac Mangena, spokesperson for City Power, said: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions of a man identifying himself as Majit Amin.”
He said technicians were again forced to flee Eldorado Park this week after Amin and others allegedly confronted the team during a disconnection operation.
The team was in the area to cut off power to households that haven’t been paying. But Mangena said they were stopped by a group led by Amin, who has allegedly threatened workers with a gun in the past.
“This behaviour is reckless, dangerous and will not be tolerated,” Mangena said.
He warned residents not to follow Amin’s instructions to block City Power workers, saying: “When the consequences strike, Majit will not be there to take accountability.”
Mangena said that if the threats and blockages continue, the whole area could be cut off from the power supply.
“Each customer will be liable for a fine ranging from R14,000 for a single-phase meter to over R30,000 for a two-phase meter,” he said.
Mangena also hit back at videos on social media where Amin claims that City Power needs a court order to disconnect power.
“These claims are misleading,” he said. “No court order is required for us to disconnect households that are not paying.”
Mangena said over 90% of residents in Eldorado Park are not vending, meaning they are not buying electricity legally.
“This level of non-payment is not sustainable,” he said. “If it continues, we will have no choice but to switch off entire areas to stop illegal connections from collapsing the system.”
He added that the city loses billions of rands a year due to electricity theft and non-payment.
City Power is working with the police to stop people from blocking or threatening its teams. “We will not tolerate criminal conduct that endangers our staff,” Mangena said.
He urged residents to report any threats or interference to the police or to City Power directly on 0800 116 166.
Pictured above: City Power technicians at work in Johannesburg
Image source: City Power
