More than 50 Johannesburg residents have shared accounts of intimidation and demands for bribes by individuals posing as City Power contractors. City Power has acknowledged the incidents and stated that operations are underway to address them.
Residents described cases in which men arrived in branded vehicles and sought entry to properties under the pretext of auditing prepaid electricity meters. When refused access without identification, the individuals threatened to disconnect power supplies.
In one reported incident, claimants said they would disconnect a home for insufficient electricity purchases and demanded a R16,000 reconnection fee. The resident declined the payment and the visitors departed without further action.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the utility recognises the distress caused by such criminal activity. He added that controls on contractor identification are being tightened and cooperation with community informants is being expanded to target impersonation networks.
Mangena was previously accused in May of involvement in a solar tender matter, an allegation he denied.