City Power removes illegal connections worth an estimated R500,000 in Alex

City Power has removed illegal connections worth an estimated half a million rand in Alexandra township as part of a targeted cut-off operation, north of Johannesburg.

On Wednesday, technicians escorted by South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) descended on the area to dismantle illegal setups to stabilise the city’s overburdened grid.

The utility’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, revealed that some of the cables recovered during the operation were sold to employees within the entity.

City Power

City Power said Wednesday’s operation yielded positive results, taking it closer to regaining control of Johannesburg’s electricity network.

Officials said illegal connections drain resources and pose a serious safety risk to communities and technicians.

Wednesday’s enforcement action forms part of a broader strategy to root out theft, hold internal culprits accountable, and protect the city’s power infrastructure from further sabotage.

Mangena said, “Within City Power, these are actually cables taken by our own employees or contractors, who then help informal settlements reconnect. But we’ve been clamping down on that.”

While one community was disconnected today, dozens more across Johannesburg remain illegally linked to the city’s infrastructure, putting pressure on the grid.

In other news – Gogo Skhotheni sparks debate after revealing her ancestral calling was actually depression

Former reality TV star and well-known podcaster Gogo Skhotheni has stirred up intense conversations on social media after making a surprising revelation about her past as a sangoma. In a deeply personal moment during an exchange with Real Housewives of Durban alum Slee “The Boss Lady,” Skhotheni admitted that what she once believed was an ancestral calling may have actually been depression.

Her candid statement—“You are one of those who simply think they have a calling, kumbe it’s depression. Uzoba strong”—was reshared by celebrity blog Maphepha Ndaba, and quickly went viral. The remark shocked many of her followers and sparked both praise and criticism from fans and spiritual observers alike. Read More