City Power has been forced to call off its revenue collection drive in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Friday after members of the team were allegedly held hostage and threatened.
Video clips shared by the entity showed shopkeepers threatening City Power workers as they tried to disconnect non-paying businesses.
One video shows an angry man saying “I'll make sure you lose your job” to Johannesburg metro police officers.
City Power cut Lens Station Shopping Centre's electricity supply. The centre allegedly owes the city R3m.
The entity had announced it would cut off defaulting and non-paying customers in the area. The drive is part of its tough stance on debt collection. City Power has targeted customers ranging from businesses, including shopping centres, to government institutions and homes.
City Power said its operation was bearing fruit as more than R3.8bn was recovered between October and December last year.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed in a video clip they had called off the operation despite only cutting off two businesses. The other was Platinum Square, which City Power said had connected itself illegally to the grid.
WATCH | City Power abandons cut-off drive in Lenasia amid threats to staff
Image: City Power
City Power has been forced to call off its revenue collection drive in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Friday after members of the team were allegedly held hostage and threatened.
Video clips shared by the entity showed shopkeepers threatening City Power workers as they tried to disconnect non-paying businesses.
One video shows an angry man saying “I'll make sure you lose your job” to Johannesburg metro police officers.
City Power cut Lens Station Shopping Centre's electricity supply. The centre allegedly owes the city R3m.
The entity had announced it would cut off defaulting and non-paying customers in the area. The drive is part of its tough stance on debt collection. City Power has targeted customers ranging from businesses, including shopping centres, to government institutions and homes.
City Power said its operation was bearing fruit as more than R3.8bn was recovered between October and December last year.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed in a video clip they had called off the operation despite only cutting off two businesses. The other was Platinum Square, which City Power said had connected itself illegally to the grid.
"[This is] because of the threats to our teams. Some of them were held hostage by shopkeepers near some shopping centre on the other side.
“So we decided, after consultation with the [metro police], we should abandon this mission because they don't have the manpower to deal with threats to our teams.”
Mangena said officials would return on Monday or Tuesday to resume their operations in the area.
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