Member of public arrested for illegally reconnecting electricity

A 50-year-old man was arrested in Bruma‚ east of Johannesburg‚ on Monday afternoon for illegally connecting power supply to a business complex he is in charge of.

The suspect was arrested during an operation conducted as part of the city’s #BuyaMthetho campaign‚ which is aimed at enforcing by-laws and bringing the rule of law to the City of Johannesburg.

The operation was conducted by the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) working together with the City of Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service (GFIS).

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said he had been informed that the business complex in Bruma owed the city about R7.5-million for rates and services.

“When the team arrived at the said property two weeks ago during Operation #BuyaMthetho‚ the team found that the electricity to the complex was illegally connected. The City’s technicians cut off power supply to the business complex but when the team returned today they found that power was reconnected again‚” Mashaba said.

He said the suspect was being detained at the Cleveland Police Station and would appear at Jeppestown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

“I have instructed the JMPD to continue monitoring properties which have been found to be connecting to service illegally. If they are reconnected the owners will be arrested immediately.

“I have every faith that the JMPD‚ working with our law enforcement partners‚ will do all it can to ensure lawbreakers are held to account‚” Mashaba said.

“The City‚ working with all state enforcement agencies‚ will not leave any stone unturned when dealing with criminal activities within our area of jurisdiction.”