The Citizen (Gauteng)

R80m stroke of genius

CITY POWER: TIP-OFF LEADS TO RECOVERY OF GOODS WORTH R80 MILLION

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Whistle blower pinpoints 12 properties where infrastruc­ture belonging to power utility was being kept.

The City of Joburg yesterday said that it had recovered about R80 million worth of infrastruc­ture material that was stolen from its power utility, City Power, including transforme­rs, warning boards, overhead lines, circuit breakers, joint boxes, street lights and poles.

MMC for Environmen­t and Infrastruc­ture Services, Nico de Jager, said that the stolen goods were seized during a joint operation by the police’s detective service, Johannesbu­rg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and the City’s Group Forensic and Investigat­ion Service (GFIS).

The raid came after GFIS received a tip-off from a member of the public that City Power’s infrastruc­ture material provided to contractor­s and sub-contractor­s for daily maintenanc­e and repairs, and major projects, was not returned to City Power’s stores upon completion of projects.

Contractor­s are required to return the unused and replaced material upon completion of work as per the terms of the contract entered into with City Power.

Speaking during a media briefing at City Power’s headquarte­rs in Booysens, Johannesbu­rg, De Jager said that 12 properties belonging to the contractor­s and sub-contractor­s were pointed out to GFIS by the whistle-blower.

“The team of investigat­ors from GFIS conducted preliminar­y investigat­ion and establishe­d that the City Power infrastruc­ture was indeed kept at these properties.” According to De Jager ten search warrants were obtained and GFIS, the police and the metro police conducted operations at 10 properties, situated in Midrand, Kempton Park, Aeroton and Winchester Hills.

“Some of the material recovered from the properties include transforme­rs, warning boards, overhead lines, street light fittings, fuses, circuit breakers, joint boxes, terminatio­n kits, street lights and street poles. I was also informed that some of the material (transforme­rs) found its way to other provinces such as Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga.”

De Jager said some of these contractor­s colluded with officials from City Power and received surplus material, which they use for contracts outside Johannesbu­rg.

“In one of the properties, material belonging to City Power was discovered, but the contractor was not providing services to City Power,” De Jager said.

“When the team quizzed the son of the owner of the property who was found on the premises, he revealed that the marked drums which belong to City Power was destined to be used in other municipali­ties such as Ekurhuleni and Emalahleni respective­ly.”

De Jager said that GFIS was committed to fight fraud and corruption, and maladminis­tration in the City, those that are found to be involved in criminal activities will face the full might of the law.

 ?? Picture: ANA ?? MASSIVE COUP. Johannesbu­rg MMC for Environmen­t and Infrastruc­ture Services, Nico de Jager, with some of the stolen goods recovered thanks to a joint operation by the police, the metro police and the city’s Group Forensic and Investigat­ion Service after...
Picture: ANA MASSIVE COUP. Johannesbu­rg MMC for Environmen­t and Infrastruc­ture Services, Nico de Jager, with some of the stolen goods recovered thanks to a joint operation by the police, the metro police and the city’s Group Forensic and Investigat­ion Service after...

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