City Power technicians hijacked while on duty in Lenasia

Three City Power technicians hijacked on Tuesday while on duty in Lenasia South managed to make their way to the police station.

Joburg’s electricity utility said it has learnt with dismay about the hijacking of its technicians while on duty. A crew of one man and two women were answering a call from a customer about a faulty meter when they were attacked.

“While one technician was verifying the address, the rest of the crew (one male and two females) in the two vans were hijacked,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

He said the cars were later found abandoned in Lawley and near Meriting Squatter Camp in Lenasia South.

Mangena said while the news of the hijacking is alarming, it highlights the increased risks their employees are exposed to in their line of duty.

“This year alone our teams have been held at gunpoint, robbed of cellphones, laptops and toolboxes, and hijacked and injured to the point of hospitalisation — all while servicing the communities of Joburg.

“In this instance, one male crew member was physically assaulted while the two females were left physically unharmed,” he said.

He added the employees were also robbed of their phones, bags and toolboxes, and were also sometimes made to transfer money from their bank accounts.

“City Power will ensure that the employees’ emotional and physical wellbeing is prioritised,” he said.

A case of hijacking and kidnapping has been opened.

Mangena appealed to communities to rally around City Power employees as they try to ensure that they continue to render electricity services and attend to calls.

He said though they have the option to request escorts from JMPD , it was unsustainable and costly and may affect their response times to outages in hostile areas. 

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