City Power Cracks Down on Over 180 Illegally Connected Buildings in Johannesburg CBD

City Power Cracks Down on Over 180 Illegally Connected Buildings in Johannesburg CBD

City Power has identified over 180 buildings illegally connected to the electricity grid in the Johannesburg CBD, with spokesperson Isaac Mangena highlighting the severe risks to public safety and the grid’s stability, as the utility conducted a major operation on Thursday to disconnect these violations amid ongoing efforts to combat electricity theft and infrastructure strain.

Johannesburg – City Power has identified over 180 buildings illegally connected to the electricity grid in the Johannesburg CBD, with spokesperson Isaac Mangena highlighting the severe risks to public safety and the grid’s stability, as the utility conducted a major operation on Thursday to disconnect these violations amid ongoing efforts to combat electricity theft and infrastructure strain.

During the crackdown, supported by the Johannesburg Road Agency and Johannesburg Metro Police, officials found 62 buildings suspected to be hijacked and 122 in violation of city bylaws, many in poor structural condition with makeshift wiring and overcrowded spaces. Mangena warned that such connections not only endanger lives through potential fires and explosions but also cause massive financial losses, depriving the utility of funds needed for maintenance and upgrades. This operation is part of a broader campaign to address electricity theft, which costs City Power billions annually and exacerbates load-shedding, with similar actions in areas like Alexandra and Jeppestown yielding recoveries of bypassed meters and illegal cables in recent months.

Details of the Thursday Operation and Findings

The operation on Thursday, 15 August 2025, targeted high-risk areas in the CBD, where illegal connections have long been a problem, contributing to overloaded transformers and frequent outages. City Power teams, accompanied by metro police for security, disconnected bypassed meters and removed unauthorised cables from several buildings, including those used as scrap metal dealers and informal residences. Mangena explained that most of these structures feature unstable partitions, exposed wires, and overcrowding, creating fire hazards that could lead to tragedies like the Usindiso building fire in Marshalltown last year, which killed 76 people due to similar unsafe conditions.

“These buildings are unlawfully connected to the grid, posing significant and deadly risks, not only to those who illegally tap into the network but also to the safety and stability of the entire electricity grid serving law-abiding residents, businesses, and factories,” said Mangena. He added that the excessive pressure from these connections can cause infrastructure failure, leading to explosions and prolonged blackouts affecting nearby areas.

In April 2025, a similar week-long operation in the CBD disconnected illegal connections at hijacked buildings, uncovering stolen meters and dangerous wiring that had been bypassed to avoid payment. Johannesburg Water joined that effort to address water theft, revealing how these buildings often tamper with multiple utilities, compounding the city’s infrastructure woes. One building in Marshalltown owed over a million rand, with illegal connections linking to broader networks of theft that include syndicates reselling power.

Financial and Safety Impacts of Illegal Connections
Electricity theft through illegal connections costs City Power an estimated R5 billion annually, with the CBD being a hotspot due to its dense population and mix of residential, commercial, and industrial users. Mangena noted that this revenue loss hampers the utility’s ability to invest in upgrades, leading to more frequent breakdowns and higher tariffs for paying customers. “The theft of electricity from these illegal connections also results in massive financial losses for City Power, depriving us of the funds needed to maintain and upgrade critical infrastructure for reliable service to paying customers.”
Safety risks are equally alarming. Overloaded grids from these connections cause transformer explosions, as seen in recent incidents in Jeppestown where illegal taps led to fires injuring residents. In overcrowded hijacked buildings, makeshift wiring increases electrocution hazards, while poor ventilation exacerbates fire dangers. The Usindiso fire tragedy, linked to illegal connections and gas stoves, killed mostly foreign nationals and highlighted how these violations disproportionately affect vulnerable groups like migrants and low-income families.

Environmental impacts are also significant, with illegal mining operations in nearby areas like Alexandra using stolen power for underground activities, leading to soil contamination and water pollution from unmonitored waste. City Power’s operations in Alexandra earlier this month removed hidden cables from shacks and toilets, preventing potential disasters.

Challenges Faced During Operations

City Power has faced resistance in past operations. In September 2023, technicians abandoned a CBD disconnection drive due to intimidation from tenants, who threatened violence to protect their illegal setups. Similar threats occurred in Jeppestown in August 2024, where a fire in a hijacked building killed four and injured three, linked to illegal connections. To counter this, metro police now escort teams, ensuring safety during disconnections.

City Power’s Broader Campaign Against Electricity Theft
City Power’s efforts are part of a sustained campaign to recover revenue and secure the grid. In April 2025, a joint operation with Johannesburg Water disconnected illegal utilities at hijacked buildings, removing bypassed meters and addressing water theft. In Alexandra, operations in August 2025 targeted hidden cables in shacks, toilets, and even underground, preventing overloads that cause blackouts.

The utility encourages reporting of suspicious connections via its hotline (0800 002 587) and offers amnesty programmes for voluntary disconnections to avoid penalties. Community education campaigns highlight dangers, with schools and local forums involved to build awareness.

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