City Power said it is concerned about a recent rearrest of a 55-year-old man from Booysens in Johannesburg, for attempting to sabotage vital power infrastructure inside the city’s underground tunnels.
City Power said the man was caught on Saturday, 29 March 2025, at the Fordsburg Substation tunnel, at the same location where he was arrested previously in October 2024, for committing the same offence.
This time around, he had three accomplices along, who fled the scene.
City Power’s Isaac Mangena, said this repeat offence is particularly alarming given the same individual was arrested for similar activities just a few months ago and was released under unknown circumstances.
“This rapid cycle of arrest and release without sufficient legal follow-through highlights a critical gap in addressing repeat offenders and raises significant concerns about the efficacy of the current justice process”
Mangena also said “a preliminary investigation revealed that in the period leading up to his most recent arrest, the suspect was in frequent communication with certain individuals, including someone identified as a police officer shortly before entering the tunnels. This raises important questions regarding possible collusion and calls for a more thorough investigation into how criminal syndicates operate, potentially with inside assistance. City Power takes this matter seriously and will be in contact with senior authorities within SAPS to request a full investigation into the police officer implicated in aiding cable theft and protecting criminals.”
Tshifularo Mashava, CEO of City Power, said there is a need for stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies, due to a growing pattern where infrastructure crime cases are not progressing as expected.
She also said City Power has devised a security strategy to prevent and respond to cable theft, including increased patrols, surveillance, and rapid response teams that act upon intelligence reports.
Picture: Supplied